Understanding the Connection Between Poor Posture and Chronic Back Pain

When you were growing up, did adults ever lecture you about standing up straight, not slouching, and keeping a good posture? They may have had some good points! Bad posture is a major contributing factor to chronic back pain, one of the most common types of pain complaints in adults in the United States.

The good news is that it’s never too late to improve the situation. At South Texas Spinal Clinic, our team of pain management experts can help you understand more about the connection between your posture and back pain. We work with new and existing patients from our locations throughout San Antonio and South Texas.

Poor posture and chronic back pain

The spine is key to why posture matters so much for staying pain-free. Your spine runs through your neck and back and acts as a core support element for your upper body.

Within your spine, small vertebral bones and spacing, cushioning spinal discs must stay aligned and free from degeneration to give your body the support and flexibility you rely on to get through your daily life activities.

When your spine curves abnormally due to slumping, slouching, stooping, or other forms of bad posture, the pressure and weight it puts on your spinal bones and discs can become a problem. Your spine functions best when correctly aligned. Chronic back pain will likely affect you if your spine is regularly out of alignment.

And, if your posture affects your spinal alignment, it can result in degenerative wear-and-tear to your spinal bones and discs. This puts you at higher risk of spinal issues like a herniated disc or spinal narrowing, medically known as spinal stenosis.

Improving your posture to resolve your pain

To protect your spinal health and resolve the chronic back pain symptoms that nag at you, learn more about the root causes of your pain condition.

You can check your posture and spinal alignment with this simple test. Standing against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart, the back of your head, your upper back between your shoulders, and the tailbone area of your lower back should all touch the wall. 

If you’ve got too much curvature in certain areas of your spine, this at-home test can help you realize it and seek treatment support. And, if poor posture is all or a significant part of your back pain problem, there’s a lot you can do to improve your condition noninvasively. 

Treatments to address poor posture

Here are some treatments available for poor posture and related back pain.

Physical therapy can help you retrain your muscles for better posture going forward and teach how to adjustment the way you sit and stand. You might even find that physical therapy exercises work effectively to relieve your back pain!

You can take pressure off of your spine with healthy weight loss. When you have good posture, and aren’t carrying a lot of excess weight, your spine benefits in the short and long term. 

In addition to improving your posture, you may need medical treatment to address your chronic back pain symptoms. Prescription and over-the-counter medications, including epidural corticosteroid injections, can relieve inflammation and nerve pain. 

For back pain issues require surgical treatment, we offer minimally invasive surgical procedures for your spine. 

Regenerative medicine may also help heal your spine from the impact of past poor posture. We offer regenerative therapies at South Texas Spinal Clinic for spinal conditions and chronic back pain. 

Talk to the team at South Texas Spinal Clinic about the best chronic back pain treatment plan for you. Schedule your initial consultation appointment with one of our providers today! Call now, or book your appointment with our easy-to-use online tool.