What is poor posture and what are the problems with it?
On this page, I will be highlighting what poor posture looks like, why wee might have it, and what the risks of having a poor posture are.
There are a number of different postural problems and all have different causes but all of them can be fixed in sports rehab sessions. Here are some postural problems to watch out for and an overview of how we can work to fix them.
Hyper kyphosis
One of the increasingly more common problems in a condition called hyper kyphosis. This is when you have an exaggerated curve in the top of your back. This curve is found around the shoulders and is completely natural but can become too curved if you have a constant poor posture. The reason that this is becoming increasingly more common is the increase in the number of people sitting at desks using technology. While sitting at your desk using a computer, it can often be much easier to sit with your head forward. Doing this can weaken key muscles in the neck causing your head to be forward when you are not at work as well.
Complications of hyper kyphosis
The most common risk of hyper kyphosis is back pain. This happens because there is too much stress on some of the muscles in the the back. Because of the additional blood flow and nutrients that the back muscles need, there will always be other parts of the body that suffer. This means that in some cases, you can experience weakness and sometimes numbness in your limbs.
In far more extreme cases, the poor posture can have such a bad effect that it can compress and crush the airways and lungs which will also cause breathing difficulties.
How we can help
The way that we help to fix poor posture is by relieving tension in tightened muscles and by strengthening the weaker muscles.
The pectoralis major and minor are the muscles that are working harder and will therefore be tighter. Because sports massage reduces tension and stress in muscles, physical therapy is ideal for taking some of the excess stress away which will slowly lengthen those muscles. The trapezius, rhomboids, and rotator cuff muscles are the ones that are not working as hard so we will be able to set suitable exercises to help strengthen these muscles. If you pair these together, then your posture should return to normal quickly and remove any pain.
Hyper lordosis
Hyper lordosis is an exaggerated curve in the lumbar spine which is the lower section of the back. This is completely normal but can cause problems if the curve becomes to great. Hyper lordosis occurs when your pelvis is not aligned and rolls forward.
This is caused by weakened stomach muscles.
Complications of hyper lordosis
The complications of hyper lordosis are mainly pain-based. You can often experience pain in the back and going up into the neck.
It can also be a cause of sciatica. This occurs when the sciatic nerve gets trapped. It can cause severe pain starting at the hips and radiating all the way to your feet.
How we can help
The way that we help to fix poor posture is by relieving tension in tightened muscles and by strengthening the weaker muscles. The back extensors will be working harder and will be tighter from over-use. Because sports massage reduces tension and stress in muscles, physical therapy is ideal for taking some of the excess stress away which will slowly lengthen those muscles. The muscles that will have become weakened are the abdominal muscles- specifically the rectus abdominis and the internal and external obliques. By setting exercises tailored to help strengthen the muscles, the hyper lordosis should be fixed far more quickly.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a postural problem affecting the thoracic spine which is the middle section. It is identifiable by a distinct 'S' shape in your spine. There will be a weakening of certain muscles on one side of the body and strengthening of others on the other side. There are many causes of scoliosis from injuries to genetic disorders such as cerebral palsy. There are also several risk factors that can affect your chances of this developing. Females at birth are more likely to develop scoliosis and people in their early teens can be more at risk.
complications of scoliosis
Scoliosis can cause a decrease in the volume of the chest cavity reducing the efficiency of the heart and lungs. It can also cause sharp back pain.
It can also cause long term damage to the spine and ribcage such as twisting of the spine and changing the spacing of the ribcage.
How we can help
Scoliosis can be treated by exercise plans set out to strengthen the weakened muscles and physical therapy to loosen the tightened parts. There is a large number of muscles involved in scoliosis and they can all be weakened or tightened depending on the direction of the scoliosis. A sports massage therapist will be able to know which muscles are tight and need loosening and muscles are weakened and can then set out personalised exercise plans to help you restore your spine.
Flat back
A flat back posture is one where you do not have the natural curves in the spine. This is a postural disorder and needs to be fixed. It is caused by a weakening of the lower back muscles.
Complications of a flat back
A big complication of having a flat back posture is the fact that the natural curves offer good shock absorption so if they are not there, you are risking injury if there is too much compressional stress on your spine. You also risk damaging the cartilage disks in your back and this will all lead to severe pain in the back.
How we can help
As with other postural disorders, we will offer a mix of physical therapy and exercise prescription. The aim of the physical therapy will be to loosen the abdominal muscles, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and others. We will also prescribe personalised exercises to help strengthen the weakened muscles such as the hip flexors and part of the erector spinae.