Beyond. Health and Wellness Magazine BEYOND_OCTOBER 2016 | Page 13

Warning:
Exercise has
been known
to cause
health and
happiness

Sore Muscles

The most common effect of poor posture are
sore muscles. As you slouch, the muscles have
to work harder to keep the spine stabilized and
protected. The extra work on these muscles
can cause muscle tightness and fatigue. This
can lead to chronic issues with tight and sore
muscles from the neck all the way down to
the lower back. Two major muscle groups that
bare the brunt of these issues are the flexors
and extensors of the trunk, which allow you to
bend forward and lift objects.

Spinal Curvature

One of the most serious issues that can occur
with bad posture is developing a spinal
curvature. According to the Chiropractic
Resource Organization, the human spine has
four natural curves that make up an “s” shape.
When bad posture is practiced, the spine can
experience pressure, slowly influencing the
spine curves to change their positions. The
spine is specifically designed to help absorb
shock and keep you balanced, but as the
spinal position changes, this ability becomes
compromised.

Subluxations

Once the spinal curve is altered, one major
issue that can occur are subluxations.

Vertebral subluxations occur when a vertebrae
become misaligned from the rest of the spine.
This affects the overall integrity of the rest of
the spinal column. These misalignments can
eventually cause chronic health problems
including stress and irritation of surrounding
spinal nerves.

Blood Vessel Constriction

As bad posture changes the alignment
of the spine, the resulting movement and
subluxations can cause problems with blood
vessel constriction. The constriction of the
blood vessels around the spine can cut off
blood supply to the cells of the muscles, which
can affect nutrient and oxygen supply. Blood
vessel constriction can also raise your chances
of clot formation and issues with deep vein
thrombosis.

Nerve Constriction

One of the most common side effects of bad
posture is nerve constriction. As the spine
changes in shape, the resulting movements
or subluxations can put pressure on the
surrounding spinal nerves. Because the nerves
that connect to the spine come from all over
the body, these pinched nerves can not only
cause neck and back pain but may also cause
pain in other unrelated areas of the body.

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