ADVERTISING: Advertorial — How will poor posture affect your life?
Dr. Wayne M. Fichter Jr.
Chronic neck pain is a common condition that effects middle-aged to elderly patients and their quality of life. The cause of neck pain can be complex and related to a multitude of things like disc or facet joint degeneration, disc bulges or muscle injuries. Poor posture, poor lifestyle choices, auto accidents or even the use of handheld devices can cause cervical instability leading to a decrease or loss of cervical curve often referred to as cervical lordosis.
Spinal curves serve as a foundation for support of body weight and there are three natural curves in the spine that give it an "S" shape when viewed from the side. These curves help the spine withstand great amounts of stress by evenly distributing one’s body weight. The cervical curve is the first curvature that develops in the human spine as an infant. It maintains stability of the spine and is a crucial part of normal spinal biomechanics. In recent years, the younger population has become increasingly more sedentary with students and office workers spending longer hours sitting in front of their computers or handheld devices, resulting in higher incidences of cervical curvature abnormalities. By studying posture, researches have determined that when the curve or angle in the neck decreases it begins to increase the amount of pressure on the discs and forces the surrounding muscles to become stretched or elongated leading to structural changes.
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