Can Poor Posture Lead to Chronic Back Pain?

Good posture is essential for keeping your body aligned, ensuring stability and efficiency both in movement and at rest. Proper posture supports your musculoskeletal system and overall health, whereas poor posture can lead to chronic neck and back pain.

At Eastside Family Health Center in Kirkland, WA, Dr. Frank Marinkovich, MD, understands the importance of maintaining good posture. He offers osteopathic manual manipulation and other treatments to ease back pain caused by spinal misalignment.

What is Poor Posture?

Posture refers to how you hold your body while sitting or standing. It describes the alignment of your spine in relation to other parts of your body, like your hips, head, and shoulders.

While there is no one-size-fits-all ideal posture, each person has a unique way of maintaining optimal alignment and support. However, when your spine moves out of alignment with your hips, head, and shoulders, you may develop poor posture. This misalignment stresses your muscles and joints, leading to pain and stiffness.

Poor posture also affects your balance and can reduce the flexibility of your tendons and ligaments. Over time, it can impact your confidence and appearance, and cause various health issues. Common forms of poor posture include kyphosis, forward head posture, flatback, and swayback, all of which can lead to gastrointestinal problems and chronic pain in the neck and back.

How Posture Affects Your Back

Poor posture primarily affects your spine, leading to chronic back pain. Without an apparent injury, chronic back pain might indicate poor posture. Here’s how poor posture impacts your back:

• Hunching Over: Decreases blood flow to your abdominal and back muscles, causing stiffness and weakness in your trunk and lower back.
• Sitting Poorly: Increases stress on intervertebral discs, potentially leading to disc herniation over time.
• Incorrect Lifting: Improper lifting techniques can cause lumbar disc herniation and chronic pain in the back and legs.
• Stomach Laying: Alters your spine's curvature, leading to chronic pain in your back and hips.

Even minor posture issues can escalate into significant problems over time. Maintaining proper posture is less taxing than constantly slumping or hunching over.

Correcting Your Posture to Reduce Back Pain

Fortunately, improving your posture is achievable with some simple adjustments and a consistent awareness of how you hold your body. Dr. Marinkovich recommends the following tips to enhance your posture and alleviate pain:

• Move Around: Avoid staying in one position for too long. Regularly getting up and moving around, at least once an hour, can reduce muscle fatigue and improve posture.
• Walk Tall: While walking, keep your head up, shoulders relaxed, and spine straight. Look forward and land on your heel, rolling gently onto your toes with each step.
• Exercise: Strengthen and flex your core muscles to support your spine. Exercises like supermans, planks, and leg extensions work your abdominal muscles, while neck extensions and shoulder stretches improve upper body posture.
• Check Your Desk: Ensure your computer is at eye level to reduce neck strain. Sit with your shoulders square, arms at a 90-degree angle, and maintain a neutral spine position.

Additionally, practicing proper lifting techniques is crucial for back health. Always lift with your legs and core, not your back, to minimize spine strain.

For more information on improving your posture to relieve back pain, contact Eastside Family Health Center today or schedule an appointment online.