How are Posture Disorders Treated?

Each body type is different from each other, and the ideal posture of a body varies from each other. It is almost impossible to come across a perfect posture in daily life, but a good posture can be adjusted to reduce the pressure on muscle groups, joints and ligaments.
Some movements and postures made in daily life bring along the posture disorder. Posture is the position that a person's body takes when standing and sitting. The spine, head, shoulders and hips are aligned in a certain order. However, situations such as computer use or dealing with the phone in large amounts bring about changes in posture and people may develop posture disorders. Posture disorder is a health problem that needs to be controlled. If the current posture disorder progresses, serious symptoms may occur, while noticeable changes in people's physical appearance may occur. Various physical changes such as straight neck, straight waist, hunched back, rounded shoulders might be observed. In such cases, lifestyle changes, physiotherapy and exercises performed with the help of a physiotherapist might lead to the progression and improvement of the posture disorder.

Posture disorder usually develops in daily life due to the way of standing, walking and sitting. But it has also been observed that posture disorders develop due to some diseases. These diseases can be listed as follows.

• Scoliosis

• Scheuermann's Disease

• Osteoporosis

• Muscular dystrophia

• Marfan and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

If posture disorders are at a serious level, surgical interventions may be applied to relieve the symptoms of the people and to prevent the progression of posture disorders. Posture disorder surgeries are preferred only when the potential benefits of the surgery are greater than the risks. Spinal cord surgery is usually used for posture disorders. For example, kyphosis surgery is preferred in cases where the curve of the spine is very pronounced, the curve that develops causes pain that cannot be controlled with medication, and the curve is disrupting your body's other important functions, such as breathing and the nervous system. A technique called spinal fusion is usually used in kyphosis surgery. It involves joining together the vertebrae responsible for the curve of the spine. The curve in your spine is straightened using metal rods, screws and hooks. In flat back operations, the interbody fusion method is used. If noticeable symptoms due to a posture disorder or symptoms that reduce the quality of daily life are observed, people should consult a healthcare provider. To assess whether balance and range of motion are affected, the physician asks the patient to make some movements. During the movements, the doctor observes the patient's mobility. In case of spinal curvature, the physical examination continues after the patient lies down to see if this curvature is due to poor posture or structural disorders. With the completion of the physical examination, X-ray scans are used for an accurate diagnosis. In such cases, computed tomography (CT) scanning is usually recommended. With the 3D imaging technique, images are taken to the area where the posture disorder is suspected. In some cases, MRI scans are used, and thanks to this, the inside of the spine can be viewed in detail. After all the examinations, the patient can be diagnosed with a posture disorder.

If kyphosis is detected in adults, in some cases, blood tests or bone density scans may be used to screen for the presence of tuberculosis. Developing a bad posture habit is extremely easy in everyday life.  Posture disorders may develop due to poor posture reasons such as carrying a heavy backpack, spending time in front of the computer for a long time, dealing with the phone for a long time by tilting the head forward, or walking with high heels. Depending on the body posture of the person, the way of development of posture disorders changes and the disorders arising from the posture type are divided into different types. The 4 most common types of posture disorders are as follows.
Forward head: This problem, which is characterized by the forward posture of the head, is a posture disorder in which the head and ears are positioned in front of the vertical midline of the body. This condition, also called tech neck, usually develops due to prolonged attention to mobile phones and computers. It can also be seen due to aging based on the loss of muscle strength in the upper body.
Kyphosis: It is the curvature of the spine that causes the upper part of the back to look rounder than usual. It usually causes the back to look abnormally curved or hunched. It might cause symptoms such as back pain and spinal tenderness. Kyphosis is a health problem that may develop due to poor posture and being hunched over.
Flatback: This problem develops due to the loss of the normal curve of the lower spine. The lower part of the back appears flat, and the person bends forward. It is a posture disorder that may develop as inflammatory arthritis or congenital. Flatback may also develop due to undergoing back surgery operations such as disc degeneration and vertebral compression. Individuals with flatback disorders have difficulty standing for a long time.
Lordosis: Sitting for a long time might weaken the abdominal muscles and hip muscles, and people's core muscles that fix the back might weaken. The development of lordosis may be observed in people at the end of this condition. This posture disorder, which might also be considered a reversal, is the positioning of the hips and pelvis in front of the midline of the body. The waist of individual in this position bends inward in an exaggerated way. When people stand up, they appear to be leaning back with the abdomen and butt protruding. Posture disorders may have negative effects on overall health. However, the way an individual sits in a chair or stands does not cause the development of scoliosis. Scoliosis is a disease that occurs as a result of genetic factors or neuromuscular-skeletal deterioration. Although scoliosis does not develop due to a posture disorder, people with scoliosis may experience a posture disorder. A posture disorder may have various symptoms. The most common of these symptoms is neck pain. The muscles and ligaments that support the neck may be strained due to poor posture. This condition also causes the development of pain in the neck area. Neck pain is a very common symptom in a posture disorder that usually develops a forward posture on the head and shoulders.
In addition to posture disorders, some lifestyle factors may also increase neck pain attacks and severity. Using the computer for a long time without providing ergonomic conditions, development of hunching due to sitting for a long time, straining of the shoulders in cases such as depression and anxiety, keeping the head forward while using the mobile phone and long working hours may cause posture disorder as well as exacerbate neck pain due to posture disorders. Posture disorders are treatable health problems. After the examination, which will be performed by an orthopedist by applying the health institution, patients are usually referred to physiotherapists. A serious improvement of posture disorder can be achieved with physiotherapy and yoga accompanied by a physiotherapist. Various exercise and stretching routines have been developed to support the treatment of posture disorders and to enable the person to regain balance. During these sessions, the physiotherapist performs stretching and exercise movements according to the patient's body structure, which support the treatment of the posture disorder.
In some cases, the doctor and physiotherapist may recommend the use of a posture correction device. Posture support and taping might especially help reduce lordosis. For some patients, a shoe lift can be used for walking improvement.

In addition, it is very important to make lifestyle changes in the treatment of posture disorders. People should regulate their posture and sitting in their working environment in an ergonomic way. It is recommended to pay attention to the alignment of the head and the phone when using a mobile phone. It is of great importance for a person to get an orthopedic bed and sleep at night in a way that supports spinal health in the treatment of posture disorders. In some advanced cases, surgical interventions may be required. If the posture disorder progresses and is not treated, the severity of the symptoms that develop due to the posture disorder increases. Symptoms that seriously affect the quality of daily life, especially back pain and neck pain, may develop.
Along with poor posture, changes in posture might be observed in people in a way that may also be seen externally. Serious symptoms may develop, such as rounded shoulders, hunched back, difficulty balancing or difficulty standing.

It is necessary to ensure the treatment of the posture disorder without progression. Liv Hospital takes an approach to posture disorders in the light of up-to-date data and works diligently to provide the most effective treatment to its patients