It’s widely accepted that not only can poor posture accentuate existing back pain, but over time it can also lead to pain that simply wasn’t there in the first place.
But did you know, you may be making your posture worse without even realising it? If you’re experiencing unexplained back pain and no treatments seem to be working, it could be because of your poor posture. We’ll discuss ways in which you may be unknowingly making things worse.
1. You’re too focused on being ‘comfortable’
It goes without saying that being comfortable is important. After all, who doesn’t want to spend their day curled up on the sofa? However, this comfy habit can quickly turn into back pain if practised too regularly.
Think about it: as soothing and tempting as it can be to spend your day lounging on the sofa, you’re putting unnecessary strain on your spine, resulting in excess pressure and pain.
As an alternative, if you’re spending all day working from home, for example, try and stick to ergonomically designed chairs that actively support your back – and leave the lounging for bingeing your favourite TV series.
2. You’re not moving your body
Note the phrase moving your body rather than exercising.
Of course, if you’re able to, regular daily exercise can be crucial for good physical and mental health, including helping to alleviate back pain. However, for many people, especially those of us with severe back pain, this can be difficult and daunting.
That’s why we’d encourage you to simply move your body in a way that feels right for you every day. That could be gentle stretching, having a boogie to your favourite song, or simply going for a slow walk (brisk walk even better) around the block.
By not moving your body regularly, you’re allowing your back to tighten and stiffen, resulting in poor posture and exaggerated back pain.
3. Your sleeping habits need work
Now obviously we can’t control how we move during the night while we’re sleeping, however, you can control your original sleeping position.
Sleeping on your side with a pillow between both legs is often considered the ‘ideal’ sleeping position for better posture and alleviating back pain.
It’s also best to avoid sleeping on your stomach, where possible, as this can make posture and back pain worse.
4. You’re not being mindful
Practising good posture takes work, and a lot of this work involves being mindful.
While it may sound excessive, setting yourself reminders to do a ‘posture check’ every hour or so can train your body to opt for good posture as its natural state.
Over time, you’ll likely not need the reminders anymore as good posture (and less back pain!) will become the norm.
5. You’re not seeking specialist advice
If you’re finding yourself regularly struggling with back pain and poor posture without any form of relief, we’d strongly recommend you seek the specialist advice of a professional chiropractor.
They can help get to the root of the issue as well as help to ease stress and tension in your joints and muscles, freeing up your movement and reducing pain which in turn will make it more comfortable to practise good posture.
Does Posture Matter?
A study which involved 293 physiotherapists from all over Europe showed that they all had different opinions on what good posture looked like. The study involved being shown 9 pictures of different postures. 85% of physios chose one of two postures – one which was more erect and one which had more of a lordotic curve. It was argued that the ‘excessive’ lordotic curve could lead to lower back pain, but the other side argued that being too erect would be tiring and would lead to discomfort.
“This brings us to the question why would anyone choose to correct their posture,” says Dr Eyal Lederman, an osteopath and honorary senior lecturer at University College London’s Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science. “To date, all the research has shown that there is no relationship between any postural factors, including the shape and curves of the back, asymmetries and even the way we use our spine, to that of developing back pain. There is no relationship between sitting and developing back pain. Yes, if you already have back pain, you might feel it more when sitting; but it is not the cause of the back pain.”
If you’d like to find out more about how Morley Chiropractic Clinic can help you break free from back pain and poor posture, contact the team today.
