What exactly are postural defects?
Postural damage occurs when bony changes in the spine can be identified that have occurred due to incorrect loading . A healthy spine has a double S-shape when viewed from the side. If this is no longer visible, it is also referred to as postural damage.
A distinction can be made between a hollow back and a hunchback. With a hollow back, the lumbar vertebrae are strongly tilted inwards. With a hunchback, the thoracic vertebrae are affected and the head and shoulders are strongly tilted forwards. In fact, there is also a combination of the two, which is known as a hollow back. Another well-known bad posture is scoliosis, in which the spine is bent sideways.
How can posture problems arise?
If there is no underlying congenital disease, one can generally say that recurring or long-term one-sided strains throw the spine and the associated muscles out of balance. This constant irritation leads to protective postures, cramps and, in the long term, to postural damage, as muscle bundles form in one place and muscles break down in another. Poor posture thus becomes postural damage, which can be recognized by the bony changes in the spine .
These one-sided strains accompany us throughout the day. It starts with the wrong mattress. The wrong shoes with the wrong soles can lead to poor posture and cause postural damage. When we go to school, we carry bags that are too heavy on our hips. And when we work, we often sit on office chairs that do not adjust to our needs. When we do physical work, we may end up carrying heavy loads. But being overweight can also lead to poor posture and later to postural damage and, of course, back pain.
If young people have a hunchback, they may have Scheuermann's disease. This is a common growth disorder of the spine in which the front edge of the vertebral bodies grows faster than the back edge, causing the spine to grow crooked.
How can posture problems be avoided?
How can posture problems be avoided? Posture problems can actually be avoided, or if they already exist, attempts can be made to reduce them. Since one of the main causes of posture problems is sitting too much and for too long, you should try to sit as little as possible. And if you can't do that because you work at a desk in the office, then you should make sure you have an upright posture when sitting. Ergonomic office chairs can provide good support here. Swopper , 3Dee or the Muvman active standing chair from Aeris encourage and encourage active sitting - and at the same time, the abdominal and back muscles are trained, which can prevent posture problems.
School children should carry backpacks on their backs rather than school bags on their hips. A mattress should be checked regularly, as should shoes! And if a lot of physical work with heavy loads is involved, balancing movements should be made - or simply the right preparation with appropriate stretching exercises.
