Poor Posture: Signs, Causes and Treatments

Poor posture is something that can affect many individuals. If identified, your chartered physiotherapist can advise you on correcting your posture. Poor posture can place strain on the joint and muscles of the body. Signs and Symptoms The visible signs of poor posture can include head tilting forward, slouching, locked knees, rounding of the upper back and arching of the lower back. Holding yourself in these positions can make it harder for muscles to work efficiently and they can fatigue quicker. Some people who suffer from bad posture experience lower back, neck, and shoulder and arm pain, but others will not experience any symptoms. Other symptoms include muscle fatigue and headaches due to a build up of tension in these regions. CausesLifestyle and occupational demands tend to be the most common causes of bad posture especially if they involve repetitive motions without frequent breaks. For example, if you spend several hours a day working on a computer, you may unconsciously find yourself adopting bad postural habits such as hunching over your keyboard or slouching in your chair. "Text neck” is also a contributing factor to this and is prevalent in today’s society as you may hang your head forward while texting.Poor posture may also be age and fitness related. As you age, your joints may stiffen, making it more difficult to correct bad posture. Conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, which are common in elderly individuals, will additionally place extra stress on muscles and may also affect posture. Imbalance between short, tight muscles and long, weak muscles can contribute to poor posture. Therefore, maintaining muscle strength is important. TreatmentIn order to accurately treat poor posture, a chartered physiotherapist will need to assess and diagnose your postural habits. Following this, your physiotherapist will be able to educate and advise you in the best preventative and corrective measures that will need to be taken to promote good posture.Your physiotherapist may suggest a range of corrective exercises and movements in order to improve muscle flexibility, strength and posture. In some cases, postural taping may be necessary.Pilates is recommended as it focuses on improving core stability and muscle flexibility. Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic, our classes are aimed at all levels and are tailored to suit your needs. Our chartered physiotherapist, Christi Kate Brady, is a qualified STOTT Pilates Instructor and is experienced in treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. If you wish to enquire about booking an appointment or have questions regarding poor posture, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.