At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine we treat all types of spinal and musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. While some of our patients are troubled by serious injuries resulting from car collisions, sports mishaps, or disease conditions, some suffer unnecessary pain simply because of their bad posture.
Our highly skilled physiatrists have cutting-edge diagnostic equipment and a wide range of treatment methods, both traditional and complementary, that can address your musculoskeletal issues whatever their source. We focus not only on relieving your pain but on restoring your energy and sense of well-being. Contact us today for more information about our personalized treatment plans.
Bad Posture Can Make Work, Play, or Even Relaxation Dangerous
When your spine is misaligned, every part of your body is negatively affected: muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, and even internal organs. Whether you are engaged in heavy labor, sitting at a computer, playing baseball, or slouching on the couch, bad posture can create or worsen several problems. Whatever form your activity or inactivity takes, improving your posture is bound to improve your appearance and comfort.
Postural Problems During a Variety of Activities
At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, we routinely treat patients who have injured themselves because of their poor posture at their jobs:
- Working at computers for long hours
- Working at construction or loading docks
- Working in the military
- Doing repetitive tasks in factory settings
- Working as police, firefighters, and first responders
- Working in cleaning and maintenance jobs
- Driving long distances or in stop-and-go traffic
- Teaching through lectures that require standing
- Teaching or caring for young children who require lifting
- Working at healthcare facilities where lifting patients is necessary
- Working in retail stores which necessitates standing for long periods
- Working in landscaping: lifting, pushing, bending, reaching
We also treat many patients whose poor posture while doing any of the following has resulted in temporary or ongoing pain:
- Sitting in classrooms
- Playing golf, tennis, football, or other sports
- Painting houses or artistic creations
- Sculpting, playing musical instruments, or dancing
- Readers or watching TV
- Napping or sleeping
Which systems are negatively impacted by bad posture?
Though the scope of bad posture injury is wide, problems caused by improper posture primarily affect three body systems:
- Skeletal system, including the spine and the rest of the bones and joints
- Neural system, including the brain, spinal cord, and all nerves and peripheral receptors outside the spinal cord
- Myofascial system, including the muscles, tendons, and connective tissues
Examples
Below are some of the problems associated with bad posture:
- Bad posture interferes with the alignment of the spine, sometimes causing it to curve horizontally which can result in structural damage as well as pain.
- A misaligned spine can also degrade connective tissue, compressing vertebrae, reducing height, and increasing back pain.
- Slouching can also cause neck pain that radiates to the shoulders and may also cause headaches.
- Slouching can compress the ribs, causing rigidity of the rib cage that prevents the lungs from fully expanding. This results in diminished intake of oxygen which affects everything from the skin to the heart and other internal organs.
- Leaning to one side due to poor posture puts more weight on the instep or outstep of the foot which may weaken and twist the knees, resulting in knee joint pain.
- Poor posture may cause fatigue and worsen stress because of improper, inefficient use of the trunk and limbs
- Chronic poor posture can interfere with normal growth patterns by compressing bones and joints and inhibiting the growth of muscle fibers.
- Poor posture that puts additional pressure on the vertebrae which leads to more rapid wear and tear of the vertebral discs, compressing the bones of the spine and resulting in loss of height.
- Bad posture contributes to osteoarthritis by causing spinal discs to herniate or even rupture, leading to bone-on-bone friction and resulting in serious pain.
- Muscle imbalance caused by bad posture can pull a joint out of place, increasing pressure on adjacent nerves, causing nerve pain.
How Our Skilled Physiatrists Can Help Improve Bad Posture
The highly trained doctors at Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, aware of the dangers of bad posture, are well-prepared to address current problems and prevent future deterioration. The following are some of the ways we will help get your body back in alignment:
- We will use our cutting-edge diagnostic equipment to pinpoint locations being harmed by poor posture.
- We will educate you through discussion, demonstration, and physical therapy about how best to position yourself when: standing, walking or running, at the computer, driving, texting, sleeping, or engaging in various sports and recreational activities.
- We will use one or several of our treatment methods (e.g. epidural injections, acupuncture, PEMF, PRP) to relieve muscular and joint pain so that you are able to move in healthier ways without pain.
Most of all, we will work collaboratively with you to get you on the path to healing and good posture, always listening carefully to your feedback.
Contact Our Experienced Physiatrists to Conquer Bad Posture
Our outstanding spinal and musculoskeletal specialists are eager to help you reduce pain and dysfunction and to remain healthy and flexible. Contact us today to find out what a tremendous difference good posture can make on your comfort, energy level, and positive outlook.