What are postural defects?
Postural damage is present when bony changes can be detected in the spine that are due to Incorrect posture have occurred. A healthy spinal column has a double S-shape when viewed from the side. If this is not (or no longer) recognisable, it is also called a postural defect.
A distinction can be made here between a hollow back and a hunchback. With a hollow back, the area of the lumbar vertebrae is strongly inclined inwards. With a hunchback, the thoracic vertebrae are affected and the head and shoulders are strongly tilted forward. In fact, there is also a combination of both, this is called a hollow back. Another well-known deformity is scoliosis, in which the spine is curved sideways.
How can posture problems arise?
If there is no underlying congenital disease, it can be generally said that recurring or prolonged one-sided stresses unbalance the spine and the associated muscles. These constant irritations lead to relieving postures, cramps and, in the long run, to postural defects, as muscle bundles form in one place and muscles break down in the other. A postural weakness thus becomes a postural defect, which can be recognised by the bony changes in the Spine recognisable.
These one-sided stresses accompany us throughout the day. It starts with the wrong mattress. The wrong shoes with the wrong soles can lead to bad 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 do so sitting on office chairs that do not adapt to us. When we do physical work, we may be carrying loads that are too heavy. 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 postural damage be avoided?
How can postural damage be avoided? Postural damage can actually be prevented or, if it already exists, tried to be reduced. Since one of the main causes of postural damage 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 an office, then you should make sure you have an upright posture when sitting. By the way, ergonomic office chairs can offer good support here. Swopper, 3Dee or the Muvman active standing chair from Aeris encourage and demand active, moving sitting - and at the same time train the abdominal and back muscles, which can prevent posture problems.
School children should rather carry backpacks on their backs instead of school bags on their hips. A mattress should be checked regularly, as should footwear! And if there is a lot of physical work with heavy loads, compensatory movements should be provided - or simply the right preparation with appropriate stretching exercises.
