Posture Disorders
Today, posture disorders, which increase especially due to excessive use of technological devices, negatively affect both mental and daily life. Posture disorders, which develop in different ways and are common in society, cause the body to look abnormal.
At the same time, it negatively affects areas such as the waist, neck and spine, causing pain at different points of the body. Posture disorders, which greatly reduce the quality of life, can be corrected with the development of correct posture habits.
What Is Posture Disorder?
Posture or posture is a name given to the alignments of the musculoskeletal system against different movement and sitting positions. The human body uses different parts of the body in movements such as standing, sitting and walking.
Especially arms, legs and waist are the areas that are actively worked to create a correct musculoskeletal alignment. Due to the inability of these structures to provide the body with the carrying power it needs, bending begins in certain areas during sitting, lying and standing.
The resulting curvatures cause the body to be unable to maintain its normal position and lead to posture disorder. These posture disorders, which develop in weakened structures, progress over time and cause pain in certain parts of the body.
Structural impairments may be familial in origin or may be associated with learnt habits acquired later.
The most common posture disorders are listed as follows:
- Kyphosis (Humpback)
- Lordosis (hollow waist)
- Scoliosis
- Lumbar flattening
- Neck flattening
- Posterior pelvic
- Hyperlordosis
Symptoms Of Posture Disorders
The most important symptom of posture disorders is pain in different parts of the body. Different types of posture disorders lead to different areas being affected, and as a result, various symptoms can be observed depending on the posture disorder in the patient.
The most common areas affected by posture disorders are the lower back, back and neck. The following symptoms can be observed in these disorders
- Arm and shoulder pain
- Pain in the wrists and ankles
- Leg and knee pain
- Headache
- Muscle fatigue, weakness
- Nerve compression
- Tension in muscles and connective tissues
- Slouching
- Low shoulders and forward posture
- Failure to keep the head upright
- Knees bent while standing
- Excessive retraction of the shoulder blades
- Hollowing in the lumbar region
- Belly and hips protruding forward
- Lack of self-confidence
- Psychological problems
What Causes Posture Disorders?
Posture disorders can be caused by different reasons. While some posture problems develop due to genetic factors, some disorders are related to not knowing how to hold the body properly during actions such as sitting and walking.
The increased use of computers and mobile phones that come with the modern world is one of the main causes of many posture disorders.
Regular repetitive actions that are harmful to the health of the spine, such as working at a desk job, driving or carrying a heavy backpack for a long time, affect the posture in a bad way. The main treatment for these types of posture disorders is the regular performance of various exercises. In addition, patients should adopt healthier sitting and walking habits.
Other causes that negatively affect posture include:
- Muscle, nerve and bone diseases
- Joint stiffness
- Low body condition
- Sedentary and stationary life
- Weak skeletal and muscular system
- Muscle strains
- Lack of knowledge about healthy posture
- Psychological problems such as anxiety disorders
- Hereditary factors
How To Correct Posture Disorders?
Treatment of posture disorders varies according to the patient’s problem and the affected area. In general, it is possible to eliminate the problem by correcting wrong habits and learning the correct posture positions.
In the meantime, the patient should regularly perform exercises to strengthen the muscles and connective tissue in the affected area. In patients who do not require surgery, it is important to follow the physician’s recommendations to the letter.
The things to be done for this are as follows:
- To apply the personalised exercises recommended by the physician regularly
- Regular and quality sleep
- Allowing the body to rest
- Changing work habits
- If necessary, use corsets that correct posture problems
- Avoid standing in the same position for a long time
- For desk workers and those who sit for long periods of time, getting up and walking from time to time
- To have knowledge about correct sitting, standing and lying positions
- Maintain physiological curves in their natural state in every position
- When lifting objects from the floor, be careful not to give the weight to the waist
- Avoiding heavy lifting, if necessary, using both hands to distribute the load evenly over the body
- Using shoes that are comfortable to wear and support the sole of the foot
- Avoid standing for long periods of time
- Take care to protect the lumbar socket while sitting, if necessary, use a lumbar pillow while sitting and a neck pillow while lying down
Especially for those who work at desk jobs and sit for long periods of time, the ergonomics of the desk and chair used is of great importance in order to correct posture disorders.
Having a desk and monitor at the appropriate height, paying attention to the comfort of the chair and standing up occasionally helps to eliminate posture problems.
When driving a car, adjusting the seat adjustment according to personal needs, preferring a small lumbar pillow if driving for a long time helps to eliminate such problems.
It is also possible to provide support to the body by strengthening the muscles through regular exercises.
