Given the prevalence of complaints about back and neck pain or injury across adults’ social media accounts, it is easy to assume such things are a natural and normal part of aging. Aches and pains are part of aging to a degree, but elements of our modern lifestyles exaggerate them.
Increasingly sedentary lifestyles and near-constant use of electronic devices encourage poor posture for many individuals, and lackluster posture impacts overall health far more than most think. Thankfully, how to straighten your back isn’t as challenging as you may think.
Why Is Back Alignment Important?
Our central nervous system controls every facet of our lives, from our health to our thoughts, dreams, and ambitions. Our brain makes us who we are while controlling our body’s autonomic functions, and our spine protects the nerves branching out from the brain to allow communication with the rest of the body. Our spine houses the base of all nerves throughout the body.
Understanding this, it isn’t surprising that a misalignment in the spine creates problems throughout the body. Improper back alignment hinders our nervous system’s ability to function, and habitually bad posture creates a domino effect on health. If you have ever suffered from a pinched nerve, you know disruption in nerve function due to pressure causes numbness, spasms, pain, or impaired function within the affected area.
Causes of Poor Posture
Some believe the spine is a flawed design destined to fail, but this is not true. The spine provides excellent support and protection for the central nerve column and body when assisted by good posture and a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, many elements of modern life encourage individuals to form bad habits.
The human body is a movement-based design. Walking upright uses less energy than running on four legs, a fact responsible for humanity’s main advantage before the development of technology. As a trade-off, standing upright demands greater muscular strength throughout the upper body than our four-legged friends.
The physical demands of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle experienced by most societies in pre-industrial cultures built and maintained the strength needed for spine health. Our industrialized lifestyles do not. Rarely used muscle groups shrink, creating weakness and muscle tension leading to worsening posture and spine function.
Signs Your Posture Needs Work
Most of us recognize occasional posture issues, but how can you tell whether you need to place greater emphasis on how to straighten your back? Chronic posture problems create a few telltale symptoms:
- Disrupted Nerve Function – Symptoms include numbness, pain, and uncontrolled movements.
- Pain – Back and neck pain result from holding muscles in unusual positions or disordered movement.
- Joint Issues – Joints throughout the body must align for proper function. Misalignment of one joint disrupts others and raises the risk of injury or increased wear and tear.
- Problems with Organ Function – Few organs function well when compressed. Poor posture adds undue stress to your respiratory, digestive, and circulatory systems.
- Clumsiness – Several issues contribute to being accident-prone, but difficulties with balance are among the most common. Bad posture disrupts your body’s alignment and causes balance problems.
- Stereotypical Complaints Due to Aging – Increasing reports of arthritis, vertebrae and disk deterioration, chronic headaches, chronic fatigue, circulatory problems, and incontinence in younger adults stem back to poor posture and its effects on the body’s other systems.
Habits and Lifestyle Tricks for How To Straighten Your Back
Good posture is just another way of saying standing up straight. But is it enough to set occasional alarms to remind you to sit or stand up straight until it becomes a habit?
While regular posture checks help, they do not address poor posture’s underlying causes. Combine posture checks with exercises to stretch and strengthen key muscle groups and adjust your lifestyle for the best results.
Check Your Posture
Do you find yourself hunching over your desk or phone regularly? Slumping forward is a natural result of sitting for extended periods, working with an ill-fitting desk or chair, or putting off updating your lens prescription. We slip into incorrect posture without realizing it.
Set regular posture check reminders throughout your day, and don’t limit yourself to work hours. Good posture is as important at home as in the office, whether you are sitting, standing, walking, or lying down. Over time, you will become more aware of your position without a cue to pay greater attention to it.
Exercise
Reminders lose effectiveness over time, and all the posture checks in the world will not address the underlying cause of bad posture: tightened and weakened muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The unhealthy state of these muscles, tendons, and ligaments causes the uncomfortable feeling many people experience when attempting to correct their posture. Performing exercise to increase flexibility and strength makes holding correct posture more comfortable.
What types of exercises should you do to improve posture? Most of us curl in on ourselves when our posture begins flagging, and over time, this shortens muscles, ligaments, and tendons throughout the torso, hips, and neck. Start with stretches that focus on your back, neck, chest, and hips. Add in strengthening exercises focused on your back and core muscles to make maintaining good posture less work.
Tweak Your Lifestyle
If you want to know how to straighten your back over the long term, adjusting your lifestyle is necessary. Regular physical activity is one of the most powerful tools for improving spine health. An active lifestyle maintains muscle strength and helps keep off the excess weight that puts undue strain on the spine.
Find small ways to add moderate exercise to your daily routine and get on your feet for at least a few minutes each hour you are awake during the day.
Also, stay posture aware—pay attention to your posture as you move, and do a posture check when you sit back down. Focus on your posture and form when moving or lifting heavy objects to prevent injury.
Check your spine alignment in your favorite sleeping position and make adjustments to improve your posture while sleeping too. You’ll be amazed at the difference it can make in your sleep quality.
Get Additional Help in Straightening Your Back
Have you tried these steps and still experience back pain or have difficulty maintaining good posture? Let the experts at New York Spine Specialists help you achieve better spine health and alignment. Contact us today at (516) 355-0111 or request an appointment.