Top Signs of Poor Posture

Top Signs of Poor Posture

The proper posture is the one that has your back making a graceful ‘S’ curve. With this curvature, body movements are easy and natural. But, sometimes, people develop bad posture habits that cause a host of signs and symptoms. For example, poor posture is a critical source of pain and tension. But, you can avoid these uncomfortable effects by taking note of the early symptoms of poor posture and having your chiropractor fix them.

Here are some of the signs that may indicate a poor posture:

1. Slumped or Rounded Shoulders

If your shoulders appear slumped or rounded, you have a poor posture. Shoulders become slumped when you spend an extended period leaning forward, like when you stare into a computer monitor. Rounded shoulders compress your chest area, stress your shoulder joints, and tear your rotator cuff.

2. A Forward Head Carriage

A forward head carriage is a situation where your head pokes far forward. It is among the most common signs you see. The proper position is to have the hole in your ear being in the middle of your shoulder. But, with a bad posture, your head moves further forward, increasing the pressure exerted on your neck joints and muscles. The result is a structural change in your posture that may cause pain.

3. A Hunched Back

Also called thoracic kyphosis, a hunched back is a direct result of poor posture. It is prevalent with adolescents and young adults. Persons with a hunched back often have rounded shoulders because they bend forward. Many office workers may also have this condition.

4. A Bottom That Sticks Out

If your bottom is sticking out, making you have a pronounced curve of the lower back, you need to get help. This condition is called hyperlordosis, and it causes an exaggerated inward curve of your lower back. Putting on excessive weight in the stomach area, wearing raised shoes, and pregnancy could give you this posture. Chiropractic care can help to correct this standing posture.

5. A Shoulder Tilt

If you look at yourself in a mirror and see that one shoulder is raised higher than your other one, there is a problem. A shoulder tilt is common among people who mostly work with their hands so that the body’s dominant side is used more often. Even daily tasks like brushing your teeth, cooking, or answering your phone may have you using one side of the body better than the other. The more active the muscles there are, the bigger they grow. The result is a visible tilting or hiking of one side of the shoulder more than the other.

6. Flat Feet

Your foot becomes flat when the arches on your feet collapse. A flat foot is a sign of a bad posture because the collapse affects the rest of your body’s biomechanics. Since your body works as a unit, a change in one area results in a change in another area. As such, with a flat foot, there’s increased pressure on your knees, hips, and pelvic. They all end up tilting. Collapsed arches also tend to cause pain that needs urgent addressing.

If you have any of the above signs, you have a bad posture. Visit the chiropractors at the Ogden Wellness Center in Ogden, Utah, to have your posture corrected. You can also call 801-406-3949 if you have any questions or wish to request an appointment.