During the day the body takes on different postures: standing, sitting and sleeping. Often, however, especially for those who spend many hours behind their desk or in front of a computer screen, there is a risk that their posture is not correct. What are the signs that our physique shows that should make people think about correcting their posture? There are various signs and pain is not always the only warning,” recalls Dr. Lara Castagnetti, osteopath and specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Humanitas.
Neck
The profile view of the spine has a series of curvatures that make it similar to a double S. When these are exasperated or completely abolished, then the posture you are taking is not the correct one. For example, an individual can bring his head forward by accentuating the curvature of the cervical area: what are the indicators of this incorrect posture? Surely pain and muscle tension, but that’s not all,” says Dr. Castagnetti. Frequent headaches felt particularly in the occipital zone, that is in the back of the head, is another warning sign”.
“Moreover, it is not unusual that those who hold this posture for a long time to pass a hand on their neck and remove their glasses due to fatigue”, continues the specialist. Getting up and walking could also reveal an incorrect posture, with the head stretched forward and a kyphotic attitude, with curved shoulders: “For example, one can feel a sense of dizziness when one lowers to pick up something from the ground and then climbs up or one can have the feeling of walking on an unstable surface”.
….and the back
Another flawed posture is the one in which the buttocks are “slipped” on the seat of the chair or when one sits on the edge of the chair: “In these cases the lumbar support is missing so you are subject to overload in the lower back area and you may experience pain. The tendency to “stretch” frequently is also indicative of muscle tension, as is the tingling that can be felt in the legs or arms “.
The dorsal pain may be asymmetrical or symmetrical: “In the former case, for example, you may experience more pain in one trapeze and less pain in the other. In this case, the body is telling us that you have sat down badly or had a prolonged poor sitting position, maybe the workstation was incorrectly fixed, with the PC on the side or that you have kept your phone between the shoulder and ear for a long time. Symmetrical pain is an indication of incorrect posture or excessive sedentary behavior.
Asymmetry is also mentioned when an individual has his head inclined sideways: “It may be due to a more intense muscle contracture on one hand but it may also be a compensation for a defect in vision”, the specialist remembers. The posture should also be investigated in another case: “When a patient begins to increase the frequency of taking painkillers. You might be in the presence of pain that is underestimated and that is only controlled with painkillers.
Correct posture
Correct posture involves being sure that you have maintained the curvatures of the spine: “Standing you can imagine a straight line that aligns your ears, shoulders and hips. The correct sitting position, on the other hand, is that in which the back resting well against the back of the chair with the arms on the desk in front of the PC. One advice for men is that they never have their wallets in their pockets, when seated, to avoid going into a sciatalgia. Moreover, it is recommended for everyone to avoid sedentary activity, to do physical activity to ensure a good muscle tone and the so-called core stability or the ability to govern the stability and movement of the trunk,” concludes Dr. Castagnetti.
