Improper Posture
“Chin up, shoulders down, straight back,” are all sayings that people use when correcting posture. Typically, a relaxed posture gives the appearance of having a slumped back/spine, thereby compressing the anterior chest and creating a forward head tilt, causing people to describe their posture as a “C” or “S” shape. However, this type of posture causes some muscles and ligaments to become overstretched, while others are relaxed, creating inefficiency when performing actions or doing everyday tasks. Normally, we don’t think about the impacts of poor posture and what it does to our bodies.
Types of Posture:
Static Posture - in active postures, such as sitting, standing, and lying down.
Dynamic Posture - posture in action, such as running, walking, and jumping.
By the time a child has reached adolescence, their posture has been determined, meaning their muscles and limbs have been established, and the relationship between the different parts of the body is solidified.
Improper Posture:
There are two types of Muscle fibers: Static and Phasic. Similar to the types of postures, static muscle fibers maintain posture and contribute to balance. They can work over long periods without tiring, however, phasic muscle fibers do not. Phasic muscle fibers are used for movement and action. Improper Posture causes muscle fatigue because the body uses phasic muscle fibers instead of static fibers to maintain its position, causing the phasic muscle fibers to “run out of steam,” causing pain.
Over longer periods, our bodies will call on phasic muscle fibers to support our position, causing the deeper static muscle fibers to waste away from lack of use. Unused muscles tend to tighten and shorten, which can aid in worsening posture.
Posture in Sports:
Sports such as swimming and dancing can be used as adjuncts to posture correction. Warming up at the beginning of exercise is essential. The time and intensity of each sport should be monitored and personalized to each person; exercise should be so intense to the point of real fatigue.
In sports, posture has a huge impact on performance. When athletes use more energy to move because of poor posture, they are wasting energy that would be used on other movements. Athletes who have issues pressing vertically compensate at times, often using an extension of the lower spine to complete a task. Over time, poor posture can impact a person’s efficiency in moving, which can impact an athlete’s ability to play in sport.
The way our bodies align can change due to factors like training, stress, age, and responses to injuries. Considering symmetry, or balance between sides, is so important. Some asymmetry is normal and functional, but not if it contributes to limitations in the range of motion. If it comes from natural factors or appropriate adaptations, it might not be an issue. However, if it stems from compensatory measures and affects functional abilities, it could be a risk for athletes.
Injuries associated with Posture:
While posture does not directly cause typical injuries such as broken bones or memory loss, poor posture increases the risk of developing injuries such as back, knee, and neck pain. It also affects endurance and can develop overextended knees, altered shoulder joint mechanics, a tight thoracic spine, and other conditions that will impact movement and cause pain.
Injuries caused by Improper Posture:
Shoulder impingement - the compression of one or more tendons in the shoulder area. The chest gets tighter and the upper back slowly elongates and grows weaker, causing the shoulders to slump forward.
Piriformis syndrome (also known as Sciatica) - the piriformis muscle compresses the Sciatic nerve, causing the pain to radiate down the back of the leg. This muscle can be tightened by crossing the legs and imbalance of hip muscles.
Overall long-term health impacts of Improper Posture:
Poor Circulation - slouching and leaving legs crossed for a long period can limit the movement of certain fluids throughout the body. This pressure can lead to circulatory issues and can lead to the development of spider veins.
Increase in Stress - poor posture can lead to an increase in cortisol levels throughout the body, causing an increase in stress. This stress hormone creates an unhealthy feedback loop that can relate to the negative psychological effects of poor posture.
Decreased Lung Function - when slouching, the lungs are unable to fully expand, causing the inability to bring in the ideal amount of air in and out of the body. Low oxygenation levels can lead to a multitude of other problems that can affect strength and stamina.
Posture Correction:
Posture can be affected by many factors, such as disease or environment.
Some of the diseases that affect posture include:
Wry neck
Scoliosis
Kyphosis
Lordosis
Spondylolisthesis
Arthritis
To maintain or correct posture, the body should be kept in a vertical alignment, for example: bringing the hips under the shoulders and keeping the pelvis in a vertical position. This will help flatten the lumbar spine, helping the abdomen realign into a good position, and opening up the chest without tension.
Posture is closely related to muscle balance and control, therefore, contracted muscles should be stretched. Muscles need to be stretched after being warmed up, such as athletes warming up before exercising: to prevent injury. Stretching the muscles should be done over a long period, posture won’t fix itself overnight.
Sources:
Howorth, M. Beckett. “Posture in Adolescents and Adults.” JSTOR, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Jan. 1956, www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3469455. Accessed 16 Dec. 2023.
“The Impact Posture Has on Your Athletic Performance.” The Impact Posture Has on Your Athletic Performance, www.truesportsphysicaltherapy.com/blogs/proper-posture-matters#:~:text=Poor%20posture%20can%20affect%20your,economical%20movement%20and%20cause%20pain.
“Postural Injuries.” Osteopathy Care, www.osteopathycare.co.uk/postural-injuries/.
“Posture.” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 24 Dec. 2003, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/posture#symptoms-of-poor-posture.
Valle, Carl. “The Influence of Athlete Posture on Sports Performance.” SimpliFaster, 15 Apr. 2020, https://simplifaster.com/articles/athlete-posture-sports-performance/.