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The Axcess Bulletin The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
Aaron Fuerst PT, DPT, CWCE, FAAOMPT
“If you have pain, you shouldn’t ignore it. We can help you feel better fast!”
Are You In A Slump? Bad Posture Could Be The Culprit Of Your Aches & Pain
Do you suffer from daily or recurrent aches and pains? If so, your posture may be the culprit. Just think about the number of hours a day we spend staring at a computer screen, hunched over our desks, or staring at our phones. That creates a lot of stress on the neck and back, especially if you are slouched, titled forward, or looking down for prolonged periods of time. HOW DOES POOR POSTURE AFFECT ME? Changes toyourposturecannegativelyaffectyourbody,andyoumayfindyourself experiencing some of the following symptoms: • Ifyourposturecontainsaforwardhead tilt–Thisforward-headposturecreates a strain on the neck, which can result in neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, chronic headaches, and lower back pain. Tilting your head forward for long periods of time shortens the muscles in the back of the neck, and can result in soreness throughout multiple parts of your body. • If your posture contains slouching of the mid-back – If you slouch the middle of your back, you can drive your head forward and alter the way your ribs naturally align. By doing this, you may experience pain in the slouched region of themid-back, inaddition topain in theneck. If this isyouraveragestanding
posture, it is important to seek physical therapy treatment right away – over time, standing like this day after day may cause internal issues, as it creates pressure on your lungs, heart, and digestive system. • If your posture includes sitting for long periods of time – When you sit for prolongedperiodsof time, themuscles inyourhipsand legswillstiffen.When thesemusclesbecomestiff,theytightenandwillpullonthe lowerback,causing pain.The joints also lose their range of motion, which can cause soreness or achiness in the hips, legs, and back, and can create issues with your gait. Theway inwhichyouwalkcanalsohaveaneffectonyourposture.Whenyouhave improper posture, your center of gravity changes. This can cause your balance to decline, which can cause pain when walking, thus creating a vicious cycle of overcompensation and pain. The most common symptom of poor posture is lower back pain, although pain can be present in other parts of the body, as well. The back muscles constantly contract to keep you upright, and they overcompensate when you slouch or hunch over.Overaperiodof time,constantpoorposturecancreateanunusualamountof wearand tearon the lowerback,whichcan increase the riskofarthritis in thespine.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” - Lance Armstrong
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