Skip to content Poor posture contributes to headaches, other health issues Posted on July 25, 2013 by Laura Martin Suffering from headaches at work? Try sitting up straighter, suggests Mike Kirk, the vice president of the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors, based in Branchburg. “Poor posture is one of the most commonly overlooked causes of a headache,” says Kirk, a chiropractor based in Moorestown Head pain can occur in those who sit “slumped” over a desk all day with their backs rounded and heads looking down at a keyboard, Kirk says. Forward head posture increases the stress and demand on the upper neck, causing tightening of the head and neck muscles. This tension can contribute to headaches. Poor posture also can lead to a variety of other ailments, including difficultly breathing, Kirk says. “If you are hunched forward, and you try and take a deep breath in, you can’t expand your lungs very well,” he says. Shallow breathing can cause a lower level of oxygen in the system, Kirk says. This leads to fatigue because not enough oxygen is available to convert into energy. Poor posture also can put extra stress on the joints and nerves, causing pain, and in some cases contributing to arthritis, he adds. “Good posture is really important to your overall health and how you feel,” Kirk says. “We should all listen to our mother when she tells us to stand up straight. In this case, Mom is right.” Concerned about posture? Fix it with these tips from Kirk. Be aware Throughout the day, stop and take note of how the body is positioned. The head should be straight and not tipped up or down, and the shoulders and hips should be level, Kirk says. “The biggest thing to improve your posture is to just be aware of what your posture is,” he says. Get up Sitting at a desk all day is a big contributor to poor posture, he says. The longer the body sits in a forward slumped position, the harder it becomes to maintain proper posture. Kirk recommends getting up every 30 minutes or so and moving around for a few minutes. “Get yourself out of that forward drawn position. Open yourself up, look up toward the ceiling, and squeeze your shoulder blades together,” he says. “Do the exact opposite of the position you have been sitting in all day.” Retrain the muscles Those who sit or stand improperly on a regular basis often find it uncomfortable when they try to sit or stand up straight, Kirk says. This is because the muscles have adjusted to the incorrect posture and become tightened in that position. Undoing this damage requires stretching and strengthening the upper back and lower back muscles as well as the neck muscles, he says. Kirk recommends trying wall slide exercises to improve back strength. These are performed by leaning the back, legs and arms against the wall with the hands facing outward and slowly sliding the body down while keeping the entire body in contact with the wall. Turn off technology Limiting the amount of time on computers, smartphones and tablets also can improve posture, Kirk says. To use these items, many people lean over for long periods of time and don’t take breaks to stretch out their muscles. Kirk says he has seen an increase in posture issues among heavy technology users, especially teenagers. “I see teens, and I try and have them sit up straight, and it doesn’t feel comfortable for them,” he says. “Technology has changed the game from a posture standpoint.” When to seek medical attention “If an individual is having reoccurring headaches, back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, and it is just not getting better, it is time to get evaluated by a professional to get this addressed,” Kirk says. - See more at: blogs.app/wellness/#sthash.K9FOfyLu.dpuf
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 20:36:33 +0000
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