Effects of Bad Posture on Your Health!

We don’t realize the benefits of good posture till our body protests in the form of pain. Many a time we don’t understand the Effects of Bad Posture and take our bodies for granted.  We sit, stand or lie down in postures which prove to be bad for the body in the long run. The alignment of the neck and back has to be correct and straight for both the mental and physical wellbeing of the individual.  By having good postures human beings can experience less stress, less fatigue, and more energy. Thus with this, they can go about their daily activities easily. The human body has evolved thus so that there is continuous mobility. Sitting or standing for long hours take the toll on the body health.

Effects of Bad Posture

1. Inefficient Breathing

The rib cage and diaphragm have to be at the right position to allow your lungs to expand to its fullest. When you are able to breath and take in the maximum oxygen your lungs can handle, it helps in the overall body function. The oxygenation levels in the body improve which in turn supplies adequate oxygen to all the body organs for them to function efficiently. This can be seen in people who sing or talk continuously. If such people have good body postures they can sing and talk effortlessly for a long time. If they slouch and don’t maintain an erect back they will be straining their system.

2. Sub-optimal Digestion Power

Back postures like slouching affects the both the physical looks and the internal organs like intestine and stomach. Sitting or standing continuously in a slightly bent position compresses the internal organs slowing down the digestion process. In the long run, the digestive system disorders become prominent. Thus bad postures could affect metabolism which in turn affects the absorption and assimilation of food. Moreover, people who slouch end up having a paunch or pot belly look too.

3. Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain

People who sit in a bad posture at the desk for long end up with back, neck or shoulder pain. People sitting and working should support their back properly. Otherwise, they could end up with a misalignment between neck and back. Most of the pain is found in the upper back. Once there is a misalignment the joints also undergo stress since they now need to redistribute the load. Sometimes the spine shape itself gets curved due to Effects of Bad Posture.

4. Varicose Veins

Standing or sitting for extended periods of time inhibits the circulation of blood which is the cause of varicose veins. Poor flow of blood causes the blood to collect in the veins for the longer time causing knotting of the veins. These show up as blue lines on the skin. This affects the physical appearance in addition to being painful too.

5. Effects of Bad Posture – Causes for Mental Problems

It has been observed and found that people who slouch end up getting depressed very fast. This connection could be something to do with low energy levels.

Reasons for Bad Postures

There are several reasons for bad postures. Some of them are listed below.

• Our lifestyle has changed compared to that of our parents. A lot of convenient gadgets have made human beings more lazy and decreased physical activity. We hardly exercise and move all our muscles today. A lot of time is spent on watching television, working on computers and using mobile phones. By sitting in a place continuously in one place the mobility decreases causing circulation problems. Sometimes the posture we sit or stand is also incorrect.
• With car becoming a necessity today, people hardly walk to their workplace or to the market. Driving for long also causes issues with people who are not comfortable with the driver’s seat. With a good number of transport options exercising has also reduced.
• Being overweight and obese could also prevent you from having to do normal activities properly. This could result in bad postures.
• Accidents could also make you develop bad postures.
• Being careless and lazy could also lead to bad habits and bad postures.
• Workplace inconveniences could also make you develop bad postures.
• Weak muscles and bad footwear could also contribute to bad postures.

Symptoms of Bad Postures

The symptoms of the bad postures could be as follows. Initially, the symptoms would be mild but then can grow become bigger and unbearable.

1. Tiredness

When the body is not sitting or standing properly a lot of energy is wasted and you will start getting fatigued.

2. Aches and Pains

The most prominent indication of poor posture is back pain. Depending upon which of the muscles are stressed you could end up with an upper back, middle back or lower back issues. Achy muscles in the legs, arms and shoulders could also be due to bad habits and postures.

3. Joint Pain

When the joints have to bear excessive weight they start getting worn out and this results in joint pain.

Factors Which Could Help In Developing Good Postures

• Use of ergonomically designed chair and table at your workplace is one of the important factors to consider. If your work involves sitting at the table for long hours, ensure that you have the right chair and table for use. The furniture should provide you with the right amount of support.
• Since our bodies were designed to be mobile it is advisable to take a break every hour and flex your hand and leg muscles. This will help in circulation of blood to all the organs of the body.
• Exercising regularly helps in moving and flexing all the parts of our body. This will help in keeping our back and spine erect and straight.
• Doing yoga regularly helps in maintaining good postures. Keeping the back erect and moving all the joints properly are important, while you do yoga asanas.

Conclusion

As we can see the early signs and Effects of Bad Posture show up we need to act immediately. Cultivating good postures needs effort and time but it is worth it to maintain good health.