Odds are you had a parent or a teacher tell you to stand up straight or to quit slouching in your chair at some point in your life, but know that you are not the only person prone to posture issues. Millions of people have less than ideal posture, and that can contribute to chronic pain or the onset of related health problems, so it’s important to try and correct this dysfunction in its infancy. Below, we take a closer look at some of the underlying causes of postural dysfunction, and how a physical therapist can help to correct these issues.
Causes Of Postural Dysfunction
Poor posture can certainly be the result of bad habits. We can sink down in our office chair or hunch forward to scroll on our phone when we’re on the couch, but there are also a number of other underlying reasons why you may be putting abnormal strain on your spinal column. Here’s a look at some common contributing factors to postural dysfunction.
- Your Genes – Your parents may be telling you to sit up straight, but the genes they passed onto you may predispose you to some postural imbalances. That’s not to say that you are doomed to have poor posture if your parents also suffer from postural dysfunction, but genetics components can contribute to scoliosis or limb length differences, both of which can lead to posture problems. Your physical therapist can strengthen muscles and tissues that support your spine or teach you ways to adjust your gait or your seated posture so that limb length differences aren’t a major issue for your posture.
- Injuries – Injuries can weaken key spinal structures or speed up arthritic degeneration, both of which can end up impacting your posture. A physical therapist will make sure that your injury not only heals, but the area and the nearby supporting structures regain the strength and stability that may have been compromised by the injury. If you don’t actively redevelop structures that have been injured, they can remain weakened even after pain has subsided, and that can contribute to posture problems now and in the future.
- Muscular Imbalances – Your spinal column is supported by muscles, ligaments and other soft tissues, and if these areas weaken due to inactivity or become imbalanced due to repetitive strain, it can increase your likelihood that your posture will suffer. Your physical therapist is specially trained to identify muscular imbalances and they can develop individualized exercises to strengthen tissues and correct these imbalances to improve your posture.
- Foot Or Shoe Issues – A problem with our feet or our shoes can absolutely cause problems for our standing posture, as your back will have to help handle the additional stress caused by the lower body issue. Untreated foot injuries or regularly wearing unsupportive shoes like heels or cheap sandals can put more strain on your back, and it may attempt to alleviate some of this stress by moving out of an ideal alignment. Your physical therapist will work to understand how different areas of your body are interconnected in order to target problems in one area that are causing issues for your posture.
- Stress – Mental and emotional stress can actually contribute to physical issues in our body. Stress can cause our muscles to tense up, our tendons to contract and our posture to shift as a result of these tissue changes. Learning how to mitigate stress and reduce muscle tension through relaxation techniques can do wonders for your posture and other health issues like muscle cramps and headaches. Your physical therapist can set you up with some relaxation techniques or some exercises designed to help alleviate stress to release this tension and naturally improve your posture.
Having poor posture can lead to some short-term soreness in your back and neck, but if you don’t do anything to correct the issue, this pain can become ever-present and more intense. Instead, connect with a physical therapist and correct your postural dysfunction so that you can live an active and pain-free life for the foreseeable future. For more information on how we can help you achieve this, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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