8 days to a healthy spine: Day 6-- Correct your posture

Your desk job or a wrong sleeping position are harming your spine!

October 16 is World Spine Day

Slouching is comfortable. Isn't it? But it ruins your back in the long run. Most of us slouch without realising it. While using the computer, sitting in an uncomfortable chair for a long time or while watching TV, we all tend to slouch and later complain about back ache.

And backache is not the only problem with a bad posture. Physiotherapist, Shipprrah Lakka says that a bad posture can give you a hunched back and rounded shoulders too. If your routine involves sitting in front of the computer for a long time, make sure you don't slouch, as after a while your back might start resembling a question mark. Your spine loses its natural curvature and starts bending, giving your spine an unnatural curve or even a hump.

Another drawback of sitting in a bad posture is the rounding of shoulders. Your shoulders tend to droop to the front, and it has severe complications too. In the long run, rounded shoulders can cause your chest muscles to tighten and weaken the muscles of the upper back.

Not just the way you sit, but the way you sleep also affects your spine. According to Dr Shantanu Sharma, (P.T), Senior Spine Specialist, Qi Spine Clinic sleeping in the foetal position and on your stomach should be avoided. When you sleep in the foetal position, your spine bends in an unnatural 'C' shape, unlike the natural and healthy 'S' shape of your spine. This can lead to compression of the spinal column and vertebral discs and you stand a risk of slipped disc and chronic back pain. Sleeping on your stomach is not as bad as sleeping in the foetal position, but it also creates an unnatural curve in your spine and sleeping in that position for hours can affect the back. The correct posture to sleep in is either on your side or your back.

So of you sit for long hours because of a desk job or sleep in the wrong position, make sure you correct it and protect your spine from further damage.

You may like to read:

1. 10 reasons for a back pain that will open your eyes!
2. How healthy is your sleeping position?
3. Here's what your posture says about your personality

Image source: Shutterstock

---

For more articles on diseases & conditions, visit our diseases & conditions section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. For health related Q&A, click here!