Computer use may be accelerating our tendency to become more stooped over as we age
From the Washington Post (thanks to Marilyn W.)
Has standing up straight become more of a challenge? A hunched-over, forward-leaning posture — called hyperkyphosis — is more common with age. About 20 to 40 percent of people older than 60 and 55 percent of people over 70 are unable to straighten up.
Hyperkyphosis often causes neck and back pain and headaches. It can lead to breathing and digestive issues. And when your head and shoulders round forward, your body’s center of gravity shifts, which can increase the risk of a fall.
Health issues, posture problems
The thoracic spine — 12 vertebrae in the upper and midback — usually has a gentle curve like a backward C. “Hyperkyphosis is an excessive curvature of the thoracic spine,” says Wendy Katzman, a professor emeritus of physical therapy and rehabilitation science at the University of California at San Francisco.
Osteoporosis-related compression fractures, degenerative disk disease and spinal deformities may contribute to worsening kyphosis, but poor posture may be a key factor. With age, we generally lose flexibility and strength, which makes a proper posture more difficult.
Our use of technology may be making posture worse. Outside of work, 46 percent of adults in the United States spend five to six hours a day looking at their cellphones, and 11 percent do so for seven or more hours. “Computers and texting encourage a forward head position and make it harder to maintain good posture,” says Lynne Hughes, an associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
The result: Back muscles may weaken and become chronically stretched, Katzman says, while chest and abdominal muscles and ligaments in the spine shorten. Joints can also stiffen, and over time it can become harder to straighten the spine.
Get yourself straighter
From a side view, good posture means the ear is in line with the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle, and the spine has gentle curves. To help you to maintain (or get back to) a more upright posture:
Take breaks. If you’re spending time in a forward or rounded position, get up for a minute or two every 30 to 60 minutes. “Do some shoulder circles, shoulder squeezes or chin tucks, pulling your chin toward your spine,” Hughes says.
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Use devices the right way. Looking down at screens “puts an increased load on the neck, which stresses muscles and ligaments of the neck,” says Kavita Trivedi, associate medical director of the Multidisciplinary Spine Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Position devices at eye level.
Practice straighter posture. One option: Stand with your head, shoulders, upper back, buttocks and heels (if you can) against a wall, and imagine a cord attached to the top of your head, gently pulling you upward. Hold for 30 seconds, relax and repeat three times daily.
Or try this: Lie on your back on the floor or on a firm bed for 20 minutes a day with a rolled towel or pool noodle between your shoulder blades. (Place pillows under your head if you can’t lie flat.)
Build a stronger back and abs. “If you don’t have strength and endurance, you slowly slip back down into poor posture,” Hughes says. Aim to do two or three strength workouts a week.
Take care of your bones. Vertebral fractures from osteoporosis cause the vertebrae to collapse, pitching your posture forward. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and lifting weights, and adequate amounts of bone-building nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D and magnesium, can help reinforce bones.
Know when to get more help. You may want to go to a physical therapist if you’re not seeing improvements after regularly practicing the strategies above for six to eight weeks. A PT can provide specific exercises for your degree of curvature and do manual therapies for tight joints and muscles.
If you’re experiencing pain or numbness, or a rounded posture interferes with your ability to do daily tasks, see your doctor, who can determine whether an underlying condition like a vertebral fracture or spinal stenosis is at issue. For osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend medication to reduce the risk of fractures.