We have all been corrected at one point or another in our
lives about our slouching. Most often,
we do not even realize that we are doing it.
For several reasons, it is important to be conscious of the way we are
sitting and do so in a manner that both allows, and ideally even assists us in
keeping a good posture. The science of
ergonomics is rampant in the chair industry in getting those dual attributes of
comfort and health.
Most people are probably aware that long-term bad posture is
“bad for you.” However, many may not
know the specific consequences of it besides perhaps developing a hunched spine
as we age. But the effects go way beyond
that. They in fact extend to the
circulatory system.
Improper posture has far more effects than just being bad for the spine. It can actually hamper your blood flow.
When we sit in the correct posture, we are maintaining the natural
curve of the spine, and our torso at its intended angle. This puts the spinal erectors and other
supporting muscles of the upper body in their neutral position. In slouching, large muscle groups such as the
latissimus dorsi, along with the spinal erectors and rhomboids are put in a
constant state of stretch. If the head
is also pointed forward, then it will also hold true for the neck muscles. While proper, temporary stretching of muscle
groups is highly beneficial to the body, the state of constant drooping is
improper, and is not optimal for blood flow to each of these groups. Years of lack of adequate blood flow can
cause these muscles to become permanently damaged taking into account current
medical technology.
In the front of the body, because the slouch position is a
forward curvature, the abdominal muscles will become compressed. Though compression is the opposite state of
stretching, the same thing will hold true where suboptimal blood flow is concerned. It will have the added effect of partial
atrophy to this vital muscle group.
The effects of compression in the abdomen are not limited to
the muscles. It affects the entire
abdominal cavity, which houses the majority of your vital organs. Hampering blood flow to the heart, liver, and
other digestive and respiratory organs puts them under constant stress when you
are sitting down. If you have a desk job
where you are sitting for long periods of time, this can heighten the risk for
many diseases, due to silent organ inhibition and damage.
The abdominal muscles are the prime movers in
respiration. Therefore, their inhibition
will also affect the lungs, which work in unison with the heart to carry blood
to every part of the body – the limbs, tissues, skin, abdominal organs, and
brain. The body naturally strives to
maintain adequate blood flow to every one of its sectors. If your posture is working against your body,
that will in turn require your heart to labor more whenever you are sitting
down.
If you have any other preexisting circulatory problems, it
becomes even more critical to maintain a good posture. If you sit at a computer for long periods of
time, a post-it note beside your keyboard or somewhere that it is in your plain
sight can be very helpful to check yourself, if you are one that has problems
with sitting incorrectly. Poor posture is often not from conscious
laziness, but an unconscious lax in form over a period of time. Should you have a back injury, or have begun
to suffer the effects of a bad posture, you may also benefit from correction devices. Ideally, those
should be used on a temporary basis, as it is most desirable to condition the
muscles in the back to make it easier to sit up straight. Also, do not sit for too long
at a time. Allow yourself to stand up,
stretch, and briefly walk around for at least a few minutes every hour. Remain conscious of what your body is
doing. The human body is not designed to
sit for very long periods of time, so the natural tendency is to slouch. So straighten up, and remain ergonomically
sound for the sake of your health.
