You most likely don’t notice your posture unless your body begins to remind you. It could be the sore neck when you get up after sitting in front of your computer for hours. It could be the pain in your lower back after navigating through your phone in bed. Or you glance in a window and notice your shoulders rolled forward, and your head is sticking out. Even knowing how critical good posture is, most people fail to execute it throughout daily life.

It is not that people are not well-informed. There are no dearths of videos, articles, and gadgets that claim to assist in posture. We all get reminded about sitting straight and stretching. A lot of people have attempted posture braces or reminder programs that prompt them to change the way they sit or stand. But the problem is that contemporary life has a knack for rendering these good intentions useless. We spend hours at the computer, bend over our phone, lug heavy bags or collapse into contorted positions on the couch after work.

Posture is not merely standing up straight or appearing confident. It is determined by the nature of work, long-distance commutes, the fit of clothes we wear, body image pressures and even mood. Stress, tiredness and self-consciousness all contribute to how we carry our body. These small behaviors, repeated over many years, accumulate and lead to discomfort, fatigue, and, in severe instances, illness.

Here, we examine the day-to-day issues that make it difficult to maintain good posture. We explore behind the less apparent issues individuals are confronted with on a daily basis. From the tension caused by emotional stress to the effect of hobbies, fashion styles and peer pressures, we will observe how these forces work silently on posture in ways easily under-estimated. Most of all, we’re going to demonstrate to you in real life shortcuts and tricks that will enable you to tune in to your body, make small adjustments and form habits that honor your well-being without adding extra tension to your life.

What Makes Posture So Hard to Manage in Real Life?

It’s a familiar scene. You catch yourself in the mirror at the end of a long workday and catch sight of your shoulders slumped over and your chin poking out forward. Perhaps you do recall seeing some reminders about posture or viewing posture-fixing products on the internet, but for some reason, despite all the awareness campaigns and advice from the experts, the battle is real. We all find ourselves with this pause between being aware of the value of good posture and applying it in everyday life. The cause is multifaceted and poorly understood, from lifestyle tension to social and emotional issues that operate quietly on how we carry ourselves each day.

It is here that we discuss the less-documented and lesser-known posture issues individuals experience, according to research and real-life scenarios. With the particular stress of contemporary times in mind, we attempt to provide pragmatic solutions and encourage you to pay more attention to your body’s communication.

The Disconnect Between Awareness and Action

The majority of people today know that posture matters. Schools, social media influencers, physios, and even wearables have all driven home the point. But for most, that knowledge is rarely followed by consistent, everyday action. Why? Because modern life not only disregards good posture, it actively conflicts with it.

We exist in a culture that values work over pause. From sprinting through work deadlines, to long commutes, to playing multiple roles at home, our calendars rarely permit the space of mindful body consciousness. Posture isn’t something like meal planning or exercise – it’s something you cannot check off a list. Posture takes care day in and day out which is one of the forms of mindfulness that is difficult to maintain amidst regular mayhem.

One study discovered that even employees who had received ergonomic training returned to their original shape in weeks if not reinforced by environmental or behavioral stimuli [1]. Overall, good posture is not strictly a matter of will but one that requires to be maintained through outside structures and inside self-regulation.

Emotional States That Reshape the Body

Physical exhaustion or ergonomics are not the only postural interruptions. Emotional tension is a persistent and often unnoticed motivator. When individuals feel anxious, overwhelmed or depressed, they slump inward; shoulders roll inwards, breathing is shallow and the chest tenses. These postures of emotion become default body attitudes by repetition.

Actually, it has been demonstrated through research that depressed mood correlates highly with forward-head, rounded-shoulder posture [2]. Another study revealed that even the temporary adoption of slumped posture produced greater feelings of helplessness and lower self-esteem in subjects [3].

What it means is that posture and mood reinforce one another. Stress will result in body tension and poor posture will continue to work on feelings of defeat, exhaustion and energy loss. It is a vicious cycle from which it is hard to escape unless the physical and emotional sides are worked on at the same time.

Social and Cultural Pressures

Social cues and cultural norms also influence posture in somewhat subtle ways. Consider the socialization of young women to “make themselves smaller,” creating a small, even collapse, of the upper body. Or how some professions cause individuals to use “authoritative” postures, which perhaps may be hiding tension or creating chronic tension.

Even clothes are the offender. Restrictive underclothing, tight trousers, and stiletto heels all restrict natural movement and alter spinal posture. In a 2015 review, high-heeled shoes altered pelvic posture substantially and raised lumbar lordosis (arch of the lower back), which can result in musculoskeletal pain in the long term [4].

Also, now we primp ourselves for hours to look presentable on the internet, but we usually do it slouching over monitors, in dim lighting, on non-ergonomic chairs. The need to look put together on social media ironically causes some of the worst posture habits to work behind the scenes.

Environment is the Invisible Sculptor

Whether in your house, workplace, or vehicle, your surroundings quietly shape your posture day and night. Most individuals attempt to better their seated habits but continue using furniture that is not supportive of neutral alignment. Plush couches, low coffee tables or laptops positioned far below eye level encourage forward-head posture and rounded shoulders.

Open office environments, standing desks, or downsized home arrangements might appear cool, but without modifications (such as footrests or lumbar support), they do not promote body support. Studies have found that static sitting in the absence of proper lumbar support has catastrophic spinal loading and muscle fatigue effects [5].

Likewise, commuting postures like tightly grasping the steering wheel or reclining in a backseat add up to cause neck and spine cumulative strain. We do not posture over our environments; instead, posture is based on our environments.

The Fatigue Factor

Good posture demands energy; not just muscular effort but mental bandwidth. After a long day, your core may lack the endurance to support you. Mental fatigue also reduces your ability to notice and correct slouching.

Fatigue also leads to “postural drift,” so even when you start out in the proper position, you automatically slump as you get tired. A 2018 study on sedentary behavior reported that the spinal posture of the participants deteriorated during the 2-hour sitting session even though they had a neutral alignment at the start [6].

For teachers or carers on the job all day, sitting is only half the story of postural tension. Constantly lifting, leaning or standing in asymmetrical positions creates muscular imbalances which accumulate over a lifetime.

Lack of Realistic, Sustainable Strategies

The last challenge? The methods that people are most likely provided with “to correct” their posture are too inflexible, irritating, or self-absorbed. Being commanded to “sit up straight” is unsubstantiated, and posture braces, although helpful in brief reminders, constitute a crutch if not accompanied by strengthening exercises.

Everybody requires micro-strategies; easy, long-lasting ones that they are actually able to implement in day-to-day practice. Such as stretching after meetings, typing with a footrest, or putting a Post-it note on your screen at eye level.

And most fundamentally, they require permission to introduce posture to the body as an easy and friendly practice instead of as a persistent correction. Posture as a source of tension or self-criticism is less likely to change.

Hidden and Overlooked Posture Challenges in Everyday Life

Bad posture is usually blamed on glaring things such as ill-fitting seats or too much texting. The truth is, most of the minor reasons from stress in the mind to what we dress in subtly push our alignment from its usual position. Neck and back pain are extremely prevalent: for instance, a WHO fact sheet has reported that an estimated 619 million people globally suffered from low back pain in 2020 [7], and the majority will at some point in their lives. The impact is even more severe in women [7]. Conditions related to lifestyle like excessive school bags, long working hours, or domestic chores may be responsible for these in India’s fast-paced urban and rural settings as well. In the sequel, we elaborate on a few of the not-so-visible or not-so-valued causative factors which might augment posture issues and lead to pain over time.

How Does Emotional Stress Impact Posture?

Emotional tension is not “all in your head,” actually it makes your body contract. During stress, most people will unwittingly slouch shoulders forward, stiffen the neck, or curl up into a defensive ball. Science. It demonstrates this isn’t anecdotal: in a lab experiment with office worker volunteers, the introduction of a psychosocial stressor (like a deadline) caused shoulder muscles (the upper trapezius) to tense considerably [9]. Amazement in itself that such muscle activity rose. without altering sitting position, it implies tension is sufficient to stiffen neck and shoulder muscles. Finally, ultimately chronically contracted muscles will wrench your posture out of alignment and cause pain.

And also whenever stress causes us to slouch forward, it creates a vicious cycle: forward-slumped (turtled) posture narrows breathing and the circulation of blood, making bad mood worse. One experiment demonstrated that volunteers who voluntarily sat up straight while performing a test of stress felt better and wrote more favorable words, and forward-slouched subjects had worse bad feelings [8]. That is, people slouch because they are stressed, and slouching leads to further stress. And if this is permitted, it will become a habit: after a stressful long day at the office or school, most will have ended up slumped forward, jutting out the neck. And that juts the body into an arched, fatigued posture difficult to break.

How Does Stress-Related Fatigue Contribute to Posture Issues?

Chronic stress tends to introduce physical and mental wear and tear. When we are tired, our muscles lack the energy to resist gravity anymore, and so we slouch. Imagine holding a big box in our arms all day long, at some point arms get weak and shoulders slump. So too does chronic stress tend to lead to adrenal fatigue or overall fatigue, so one can’t stand up straight anymore. When an individual gets fatigued, people use “passive” support (sitting against a wall or slouching in a chair), and with continued use over time, ligaments get overstretched and postural muscle strength diminishes.

Surprisingly, bad posture on its own will actually exacerbate fatigue. To illustrate, in one of a series of clinical trials of subjects reporting mild depression, standing up straight decreased fatigue and enhanced mood considerably [15]. Compare this to the usual slouched posture, which was associated with greater tiredness. In the real world, this implies that the fatigued person slouching will become even more tired, an accelerating vicious cycle. Every day’s tension, whether it is from hectic daily activity, extended automobile travel, or mental burden, exhausts energy, and that makes it increasingly difficult to stand and sit upright. Sooner or later, a constantly tired posture can become “normal,” concealing the tension originally that produced it.

Are There Gender-Specific Posture Challenges?

Men and women will tend to have different posture loads based on biology and lifestyle. For instance, research has determined that women are slightly more lordotic in the lumbar region of the lower back compared to men, usually by a few degrees of lordosis [12]. This natural variation is beneficial during pregnancy but also makes women prone to an excess lower back arch if other variables (such as heels or pregnancy) force the spine forward. Work and social activities come into play as well: women carry babies or bend and squat on housework, and men lift heavy weights or bodybuild. These activities tend to produce some muscle imbalances. For position, a guy who works the arms and chest harder but not his back is going to develop “rounded shoulders” or upper-crossed syndrome [14]. With this condition, the muscles of the front shoulder and chest become tight and dominate over the weaker muscles of the top back and pull the shoulders forward.

Briefly, while all may suffer from posture disorders, women will be subject to pressure from heels, carrying bags and children, and pregnancy, while men will be struggling with imbalances brought on by gym workouts or labor work. The following sections elaborate on these gender-specific causes in more detail.

Women: The Weight of Bags, Heels, and Pregnancy

• Heavy Bags: Wearing a purse or backpack on one side throws your hips and spine out of balance. A number of studies in students provide evidence of an absolute correlation between heavy bag wear and posture discomfort. For instance, one survey reported that more time spent wearing the bag was associated with neck and upper back pain in school children. At an adult level, carrying a heavy handbag across one shoulder or constant dipping into a deep bag can tilt the body so that one shoulder is higher or the spine deviates to one side. Gait analyses corroborate this: women who always carry a bag across one shoulder tend to walk with uneven strides, and even correctly weighted bags result in postural adaptations to stabilise [11]. To combat this, our bodies also prefer to turn or shift away from the bag load, and with repeated use this may cause neck strain, shoulder tension, and side back pain. Alternating sides or wearing a cross-body bag functions, but repeated heavy bag loading remains a common, underappreciated posture issue.
• High Heels: Despite how stylish, high heels alter the distribution of weight along the body. By raising the heel, high heels protrude the hips and exaggerate the curvature of the lower back. There is conflicting evidence for the effect, but multiple studies determine that wearing heels increases lumbar lordosis (inward arching of the lower spine) and pelvic tilt [12]. In plain terms, to achieve balance on heels, women accentuate low back arching and buttock protrusion. This additional curve stiffens the spine and adds stress to lumbar discs and joints. Although a recent study found that short-term heel wear did not noticeably change spine shape, it must be noted that those volunteers were not accustomed to heels. In daily life, experienced wearers of heels can lose the natural process of maintaining the pelvis in a neutral position, instead developing an arched posture. Added to other stresses of modern work and social life, long-term heel wear will lead to greater back tension and hip pain. Even relatively modest 4 – 5 cm heels change posture significantly enough to notice; very high platforms even more significantly.
• Pregnancy: Carrying a baby naturally displaces a woman’s center of gravity forward, compensated by postural adjustments. Comparisons between first and third trimesters of pregnancy indicate that with advancing pregnancy, the arch of the lower back (lordosis) becomes more pronounced and the upper segment of the body actually tilts the head back more [13]. Namely, the expectant mother usually leans slightly back to accommodate protruding belly, with additional pressure on the lower spine. This adjustment maintains her upright posture but also leads to additional pressure on the lumbar and hip regions. Paradoxically, in the above-cited research, such postural changes were not necessarily in proportion to the degree of backache reported by the women. This is to say that pregnancy does change posture but that some bodies accommodate more (and many exercises work on reducing the effect). But pregnancy is the perfect example of an inside factor that sneaks up and inscribes a new posture habit into the body. New mothers are likely to carry extra load (in baby carriers or nursing postures), adding additional weight to the strain on spinal muscle unless balanced by exercise or ergonomic design.

In short, women have specific posture problems: the daily burden of purses or backpacks, appearance-driven shoes, and even the deeply ingrained profound changes of pregnancy. Each will twist or tilt the body from its natural alignment, particularly when added to long workdays or whirlwind childcare.

Men: How Gym Culture Can Contribute to Poor Posture

Many men build fitness routines around bench presses, push-ups, and arm exercises – activities that strengthen the chest and front of the shoulders but do little for the back and rear shoulder muscles. This imbalance can tilt the shoulders forward in a condition sometimes called upper-crossed syndrome [14]. In upper-crossed syndrome, the pectoral (chest) muscles and the front of the neck become very tight, while the upper back (rhomboids, rear deltoids) weaken. The result is a hunched upper back and forward head posture. Even outside the gym, other masculine-coded activities (heavy lifting, driving long distances or slumped sitting) reinforce this pattern.

For example, a man lifting weights with poor form or neglecting stretching will naturally grip his shoulders up and forward. Over time, the spine adapts: the upper back rounds and the head juts out (a “screen neck” posture common among tech users), making it harder to stand fully erect. Unlike women’s posture issues (like heels or heavy handbags), men’s posture problems often stem from trying to build a certain look or ability (big chest, big arms) at the expense of balanced musculature. The good news is that this one-sided posture can be corrected. Awareness exercises like those recommended for “rounded shoulders” (doorway chest stretches, scapular squeezes, etc.) directly counteract tight pecs. However, many men overlook these because they focus on building a “strong” front.

Aside from the gym, social expectations can also play a subtle role: men are often culturally encouraged to “stand tall” or not complain about discomfort, which may make them less likely to notice or remedy a persistent slouch. But the reality is that an over-arched low back or rounded upper back can affect anyone, regardless of gender. The key difference is that the common triggers vary: men may want to watch how their workout routines might inadvertently pull their posture forward.

How Do Work and Social Expectations Affect Gendered Posture?

Social requirements and occupational positions subtly determine the way men and women act on an everyday basis. At most workplaces in India, for example, women may sit cross-legged on a low stool or on the floor when working, which can invite slouching if done for some hours. Men in white-collar jobs can sit with anticipation to “spread out” (legs apart), whereas women cross or keep their legs together. These sitting habits change pelvic tilt and curvature of the spine with time.

Social cues are also important. Women commonly report being instructed (or they feel) they must look “slimmer” or more modest, inadvertently causing some to slouch or fold inward to minimize their space. Men, on the other hand, feel they need to look “strong” and stiffen their stance outward before others (pressed shoulders back, held-up chin). For instance, when anxious or fatigued, a woman may cross her arms over her chest and bow her head, whereas a man will cross his arms behind his head and relax back. These micro-posture patterns serve to reinforce alternating muscle patterns.

Individual styles, of course, differ extensively. But studies of nonverbal communication teach us that expansive postures (legs apart, shoulders out) are usually interpreted as more masculine, and closed postures (arms folded forward, legs crossed) as more feminine [18]. These unconscious norms have the power to make it so that, for example, a woman will unconsciously push out her shoulders when she is speaking, but not a man. It’s important to recognize these pressures because they’re changeable: posture isn’t just about bones and muscles, it’s also about the “script” we’ve learned for how to sit and stand in society. Being aware of this can help break bad habits, for instance, reminding oneself to sit tall even when feeling shy or tired.

How Do Clothing and Fashion Affect Posture?

What we wear on our bodies can drive our spine out of its normal postures. Squeezing or ill-fitting clothes most commonly compels the body into postural compensation. Research on tight trousers has found that movement in very tight pants increased bending in the lower back and reduced hip bending during forward flexion [17]. In simple terms, when movement is restricted at the hips (with tight clothes), the spine compensates by bending more.”. Over time, this changed pattern of movement can lead to back pain. Consider what you wear in your daily life: a hugging blouse or heavy pants may quietly push your pelvis forward or shoulders back, even if you’re not aware.

Heels is an example of style already discussed, but other forms of apparel also carry influence. Wearing weights in clothes – e.g., heavy winter coat or thick belt – alters how you weigh out. Equally, constrictive clothing on arms (e.g., tight suit sleeves or rigid blouses) cause individuals to slouch or over-extend. Indian formal apparel is usually heavily embroidered and may be hanging on the shoulders, such as a heavy pallu for a saree or an embroidered dupatta tugging at one shoulder that can bend the spine. Even such ornamentations such as thick turbans or necklaces pulling down the neck exert infinitesimal loads on themselves which, over a period of time, cause forward tilting of the neck or sloping of the shoulders.

Fashion in general also sets up expectations for posture. Clothes that are slim-fit can cause the person to suck in his or her stomach or tilt the chin. Bodysuits and shapewear literally squeeze the body, but everyday clothes do a little bit of “shaping” too. Pulling waistbands in at the hips on pants or floor-length kurtas can change how one moves. For instance, a low-rise waist can make someone arch his or her back to avoid sliding off pants. While such fashion is largely about appearance, they subtly enforce certain postures throughout the day.

How Do Restrictive Garments Limit Natural Movement?

Other than normal street clothes, there are some garments that severely restrict the natural movement of the body. Shapewear, corsets, or highly structured clothing (starched uniforms) tend to squeeze the spine and core muscles out of their natural alignment. In the past, extremely tightly cinched corsets were infamous for squeezing the ribcage and pelvis. Body-shapers and some fitness “waist trainers” nowadays do the same: they rigidify the back and waist. If a shirt keeps your torso stiff, your muscle activation patterns are disrupted. You may breathe more shallowly, resist twisting your spine, or lean otherwise simply because the clothes won’t let you move naturally. Wearing such an outfit all the time will ultimately lead to weakened spinal-support muscles (as the garment is doing some of their job) and tighter hips and ribcage.

A very restricting girdle, for instance, will not allow you to bend at the waist at all, so you bend at the knees (change leg posture) or strain your back in small curves. Rigidsupports (such as  weightlifting belts) have been used by athletes for temporary stabilization of the core for some time now, but they tend to be shed during ordinary activity. A long-term restricting garment, though, does not get removed. Medical experts caution that although shapewear may temporarily improve shape, it can likewise cause muscle fatigue or even aggravate nerves if put on permanently. (Note: there are temporary clinical benefits with wearing corsets for back pain, but they are therapeutic corsets, not body-gripping fashion garments.) The concept is that clothes that dramatically “shape” your body have the ability to shape your posture, often by constricting the body’s normal range of motion and compelling compensations elsewhere.

What Are the Hidden Effects of Body-Shaping Garments?

Some contemporary shapewear and posture-supportive clothing does promote posture correction. Indeed, studies of specific “posture shapewear” have shown that properly designed compression garments can correct the curvature of the spine. A university study developed a prototype compression garment with built-in “textile components” that simulate the supporting structures of the body. When women used posture-sensitive shapewear, their shoulders were in better balance and their spines more straight than they were wearing normal shapewear. Subjects felt more congruent. This suggests that, ironically, some body-shaping devices are able to provide feedback promoting an upright posture, essentially providing passive support where needed.

But these newer items of clothing are intended as an exception. Ready-to-wear shapewear is constructed with appearance in mind, not ergonomics. Pinching at the waist and hips, they may temporarily lift the bust and draw in the navel, but they can also restrict deep breathing and cause core muscles to become lazy if you wear them around the clock. Very tightly bound waist trainer or compression corset can compel a hollowed posture (flat belly) that you “freeze” into. Once removed, your own natural posture might even feel sloshed because your muscles have adapted to rely on the garment’s support. And, though extremely uncommon, instances (in medical case studies) of extreme tight-lacing have been documented, including organ compression or impairment of breathing. In daily wear, the primary stealthy impact of shapewear is that it can cover up poor posture: if you’re being cinched in by a tight corset, you may not even realize that your muscles aren’t functioning correctly. When you remove it, the weariness and alignment may come crashing back over you.

Overall, there are some specialty posture-supporting apparel that will align properly, but most body-shapers and corsets accomplish it in the sacrifice of mobility and the use of natural muscle.

How Do Accessories and Everyday Items Alter Alignment?

Even small common objects affect our posture. Perhaps the most well-known today is the smartphone. Individuals spend hours staring down at their screens, their head flexed forward. Such “text neck” posture significantly maximizes strain on the cervical spine [16]. To give it some context, a recent survey by a university indicated that almost half of the users with a forward-head “text neck” posture had related neck disorders. In layman’s terms, excessive bending of the head is a recipe for neck pain. The constant small bend over a period and months can lead to long-term issues like stiff neck muscles, headaches and even nerve pinching.

Handhelds are not the sole culprits. Leaning against a computer laptop on your lap (as contrasted with a desk) tends to cause you to slouch or bend your head forward. Even wearing your headphones or reading glasses puts your head in a slightly different position. Over-the-ear headphones tend to move the head back and looking through bifocals tends to cause people to lean their head in an unnatural position. They are small things, but do them all day long and the cumulative effect shows.

Other daily habits: if you hold a phone at ear and shoulder rather than having it on a headset, you’ll be tilting your neck to one side. New parents usually discover they’re holding a baby up against their shoulder or leaning to one side. Even holding a heavy bag of groceries or water container at arm’s length alters the middle of the spine. Vehicles also affect posture: leaning forward on a firm motorbike seat strains the spine into stiffness, and an overly cushioned sofa encourages slouching. Every accessory and every habit alters the way the body adapts. The answer is awareness: being mindful of the way you’re cradling phones, tools or babies, for example, can prevent you from hyper-activating one side of your body without realizing it.

In the midst of the busy rhythm of everyday life, the majority of posture issues have insidious causes. Fatigue and stress quietly stiffen muscles and lead to slumping. Genders assign varying stresses: women impose a burden from pregnancy, purses and high heels [10], while men bear asymmetrical gym regimens that produce a rounded shoulder. We also habitually conform to the way that society desires for us to sit or stand. Fashion and attire, from constrictive wear to heavy traditional clothing, can rigidly freeze the body into set postures. Constrictive corsets and shapewear give support as a payment for normal muscle function. Even small objects such as telephones or keys alter head and hand posture.

With all of this in combination, good posture is more than “sit up straight.” It is also about stress and energy management, coordinating muscle usage, selecting supportive clothing, and observing daily routines. Getting attention on these commonly ignored variables. Alternating bag-carrying shoulders, rest breaks from downward glancing at devices, and performing counter-stretches after exercising, can benefit our spine down the line. The evidence shows that the majority of these underlying factors are real and measurable, thus an overall strategy to posture is the optimal way to be pain-free throughout life.

How Do Lifestyle Factors Undermine Good Posture?

Posture is not a question of easy conscious intention or ergonomic design. It is most closely related to the rhythms of everyday living, as the way we sit, stand, walk, and move about in relation to the environment. These habits of daily living shift from hour to hour, and thus posture is a dynamic and responsive component of behavior. So, even being familiar with posture rules will not help if the habitual pattern does not favor it. From unregular schedules and hobbies to social arrangement, lifestyle choices can chip away at proper posture silently and gradually over time.

What Happens When Daily Routines Are Inconsistent?

Most people don’t get through the day maintaining a consistent postural pattern. They might sit up properly in the morning with an appropriately set-up workspace, later to be discovered slouching over a phone, lying on a couch or leaning in bed over a computer. The constant switching between good and bad posture confuses the body and can cause cumulative strain on muscles and joints.

Remote work made these inequalities worse. Few have home office spaces and end up switching around kitchen tables, coffee shops, sofas, or floor pillows during the day. Each of these puts the position of the spine, hips, and shoulders into a different position. The body easily falls into whatever is most convenient at the moment without realizing and exerting effort, and that is usually a collapsed or unsupported position. These movements, if repeated over the long term, can cause chronic tension, loss of mobility, and shoulder, lower back, and neck pain [19].

How Does Commuting Add to Postural Challenges?

Commuting adds other postural stress. Motor driving, bus or train riding, individuals take static tense postures. Slouching chairs, crossed legs and leaning on window frames are prevalent and, when repeated over the day, can lead to muscle imbalances and tension beyond the duration of the trip. This behavior leads to stiffness in the hip, pain in the lower back and decreased spinal flexibility, particularly after prolonged sitting in the workplace.

Why Does Leisure Time Sometimes Worsen Posture?

Leisure time is not always rest posturally. Changing from activity to activity, i.e., working, driving, and resting, tends to be done unconsciously or without stretching. Such failure of change in body postures is one of the primary causative factors of poor posture. Reading a book sitting or reclining, browsing through a telephone, or watching TV on a couch are frequently unsupported or slumped postures that negate previous good effort at sitting or standing.

Do Hobbies and Passion Projects Affect Posture?

Hobbies are paramount for mental health and personal contentment, but they don’t always play nicely with the musculoskeletal system. All passion projects are done in static or asymmetrical posture positions for extended periods of time. Painting, doing crafts, sewing, or woodworking – they all appear to demand forward leaning, lifting the arms, or bending over a work surface.

Knitting, for instance, promotes extended forward head posture. Reading or journal writing is rounded shoulders, and a curled spine. Instrument playing like the piano, guitar, or violin involves sustained position and fine motor use, which may cause upper back, neck, or forearm tension [20].

How Does Gaming Affect Postural Health?

Gaming has been well researched in posture. Long periods of gaming are more likely to involve sitting for extended periods with the head pushed forward, eyes fixed on a screen, and arms stretched out to a controller or keyboard. Such a posture stresses the cervical spine more and flexes chest muscles. It is most often associated with an upper crossed syndrome, a combination of tight upper trapezius and pectorals and weak deep neck flexors and lower trapezius [11].

How Do Repetitive Hobbies Create Cumulative Strain?

The issue is not with the activity but with the time and repetition without adequate resting pauses. Stillness or one-way movement hobbies accumulate tension over time. Holding the same position for long periods of time without posture readjustment or flexing causes chronic pain, reduced joint mobility and muscle narrowing that is hard to break.

How Do Social Dynamics and Body Image Pressures Play a Role?

Posture is more than a physical habit. It is an indication of how we see ourselves and how we feel others seeing us. Body-image pressures and social expectations shape the way we support ourselves and can take precedence over physical comfort or positioning.

For example, a person who is self-conscious of their height would slouch to try to look shorter. Another who wants to look thinner would draw in the muscles in their abdomen, tilt their pelvis, and arch their back anomalously. Others roll their shoulders back and thrust their chest forward hoping to look more confident. These behaviors become habitual positions that lead to changed muscle balance, joint malalignment, and even limited breathing in time.

How Do Cultural and Workplace Norms Influence Posture?

The need to be like everyone else tends to result in stiffness or unnatural rigidity. While sitting during class, at the office, or walking on the street, individuals will sit or stand stiffly in an effort to look attentive or together. Stiffness disables the subtle natural postural shifts that the body depends on in order to remain aligned and comfortable. The result is heightened tension in the hips, lower back, shoulders, and neck [22].

Social media pressure is also one that may drive individuals into embracing posed or idealized postures that are camera-friendly but impossible to sustain in real life. This form-function dissonance may result in physical stresses, especially after people continue mimicking such poses again and again without factoring in their sustainability.

What Can We Learn from Real-Life Accounts of Posture Pain?

Behind every posture tip or ergonomics rule is a real-life story of someone who has endured the pain or aggravation of poor posture. Online support groups, personal websites, and workplace accident reports reveal how far-reaching posture problems affect people of all types. These stories reveal that posture pain has no one profession or lifestyle in mind. Instead, it arises in various and sometimes unexpected settings. These testimonies offer valuable lessons about the ways that posture shapes everyday health and why practical solutions must answer individual circumstances.

Experiences Across Different Lifestyles

What Do Gamers, Students, and Physical Workers Experience?

Video gamers, students, and physically demanding workers have very similar experiences, despite their vastly different everyday activities. The majority of game players agree that they sit for hours in the same position in front of a screen with their eyes, slumped shoulders, and forward-thrust head. The consistent posture will stretch the neck and shoulders, stiffness, headaches, and even chronic pain, as claimed by some players [21]. Players agree that initially, they disregard all these warning signs until when their discomfort reaches unbearable to endure. Some even develop numbness of the fingers or hands following prolonged sessions without breaks.

Students also have issues. Prolonged study, typically done in poorly designed chairs or on beds, encourages slouching and forward bending. This causes strain on the thoracic and lumbar spine and may result in chronic back and neck discomfort. In competitive academic settings, students will plow through discomfort to meet deadlines without realizing the cumulative effects on their musculoskeletal system. Stints of laptop use with improper setup tend to multiply the problem, with students craning their necks or bending over small screens.

Physical workers, such as warehouse workers, health care workers, and tradespeople, face posture problems from the other direction. Their work requires more repetitive lifting, bending, and reaching over long hours as opposed to extended periods of sitting down. These are also established to place maximum amounts of stress on the spinal column, hips, and shoulders [23]. Workers often complain of aching at the end of a shift and, with the passage of time, develop more severe musculoskeletal diseases. Other workers also complain of not being able to recover adequately between shifts because of cumulative strain.

These cultures bring to light the universality of posture pain. Siting for long hours or having poor movement patterns, posture habits are most responsible for influencing health outcomes via careers and leisure activities.

Less Visible and Surprising Symptoms

What Are the Less Visible Symptoms of Poor Posture?

Postural conditions don’t arise as a separate back or neck pain. Others have more subtle signs and symptoms they are not even aware of being due to posture. Compression syndromes of nerves, for instance, thoracic outlet syndrome, is one of them. Slumped or rounded shoulder posture here compresses nerves and vessels in the region between the first rib and the collarbone. This results in numbness, weakness, and circulatory impairment of the arm [24]. Others report feeling awkward or experiencing weakened grip strength without knowing the reason lies in posture.

Digestive upset is another lesser-documented consequence. If an individual sits slumped for an extended period, the compartment of the abdomen is subjected to compression. This can slow down digestion, cause bloating and worsen disorders like acid reflux. People are unaware on many occasions that simply adjusting their sitting posture could help reduce some of these issues [25]. Those who have pre-existing digestive problems can aggravate them without even aware of the postural connection.

Breathing problems can be caused by poor posture as well. A concave chest restricts the diaphragm from completely expanding. This results in shallow chest breathing, less oxygen intake, and creating upper torso tension. The outcome typically repeats in a cycle of poor posture and increasing tension. Most people feel tired or mentally confused without even knowing these states are associated with the way they sit or stand throughout the day.

How People Find Recovery

How Have People Discovered and Recovered from Posture Issues?

Real-life accounts of recovery often focus on the theme of awareness, experimentation and persistence. Often, people first realize they have a posture problem when pain or fatigue begins to interfere with daily functioning. Gamers might find they are interrupted from their game by aching in the neck. Students might be unable to focus because of back pain. Workers might feel the price in terms of stiffness or soreness that lingers long after the workday has ended.

Healing usually begins with increased body awareness. Individuals begin paying attention to whether their posture tends towards deleterious habits. Some attempt ergonomic devices such as lumbar supports, stand-up desks, or posture alerts on their phone. Some see physiotherapists, chiropractors, or occupational health consultants who prescribe exercises and systems for their specific requirements. Minor environmental adjustment, monitor height, or placement of the chair, typically forms the beginning.

Each of the descriptions refers to trial and error as part of the process. What is beneficial for one individual is unhelpful for another. Some find relief with fixed programs like yoga or Pilates, which target the core and restore proper body alignment [26]. Some get most benefit from minute daily fine-tuning like taking frequent movement breaks, adding mindful stretching, or establishing better workplace support. Others discover that a combination of methods delivers the most relief, for example, combining regular exercise with ergonomic tools.

The Role of Community Support

Community support is also often a valuable added bonus. Support groups and online forums provide encouragement, sage advice and reassurance that posture problems are the norm and not the exception and can be defeated. These collective experiences are a good reminder that posture rehab is a patient process that requires a light hand with our bodies. People often credit forums with staying motivated and being responsible for the peaks and valleys of rehabilitation.

What Are the Lesser-Known Impacts of Poor Posture?

Visible aches and pains like drooping shoulders or lower back tension are most usually related to poor posture. However, bad alignment has repercussions far beyond merely musculoskeletal pain. From disrupting sleep to balance problems, even more sneaky but maybe catastrophic effects of bad posture usually go undetected until they become a barrier to daily life. Knowing these underwritten-about effects will make you alert early on to warning indicators and more actively work to fix posture.

Sleep Quality and Postural Misalignment

How Can Daytime Posture Affect Sleep?

The manner in which you treat your body during the day does not merely impact your daytime life. It can spill over into the evening. Posture during the day that is incorrect leads to muscle contraction and imbalance that disrupts restful sleeping positions. For instance, if you work sitting for several hours with a forward head position and rounded shoulders, your neck and upper back muscles will become tightened and shortened. This tightness also renders it more challenging to lie in a neutral and relaxed position at night, and one tosses, turns, or awakens stiff [16].

It is forward head posture, specifically, that has been linked to snoring and sleep apnea. Forward head posture biases the alignment of the head and neck in a direction that can decrease the magnitude of upper airway space volume. In people with already developed sleep apnea, it may contribute to pauses in breathing at night. Even in healthy people without sleep disease, posture-induced upper airway narrowing might be responsible for oxygenation at night and restlessness of sleep [28].

In addition, the posture also disrupts the capacity of the body to downregulate at night. Scoliosis and rib deviation might be able to hinder deep breathing and consequently leave the body under stress. This kind of stress would lead to increased sleep latency, lower quality of sleep, and more effort to reach deeper stages of sleep.

Posture’s Role in Headaches and Jaw Disorders

Can Poor Posture Cause Headaches, Jaw Pain, or TMJ Issues?

Yes, and perhaps this is the most commonly neglected consequence of bad posture. The pro-rolled head posture of office workers or phone users stretches the cervical spine and supporting muscles. This strain can be referred to jaw, temples, and upper back, and there will be a chain reaction that usually culminates in tension-type headaches [29].

Poor posture maintained over time will cause pressure on nerves located at the back of the skull, and thus occipital headaches become more probable. The headaches will be referred from the neck to the crown or behind the eyes. People do not realize that improved posture would resolve symptoms they erroneously believe are resulted from eye strain or stress.

Posture is also a key factor in temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), which is a condition dominated by pain and restriction of the jaw joint. Whenever your head is forward of the body’s normal vertical axis, it alters the jaw position. This malposition leads to unbalanced stress on the temporomandibular joints as well as associated muscles. Individuals with poor posture unknowingly clench their jaw or grind their teeth during the day also, which exaggerates these effects [30].

Eventually, with the passage of time, this condition causes earache, click jaw, pain, or difficulty in mastication. In some, the pain is also felt in the neck or shoulders, and then diagnosis is more difficult. Postural correction with the inclusion of relaxation exercises in the jaw along with alignment can be a factor involved in the alleviation of the symptoms.

The Impact of Posture on Balance and Stability

How Does Posture Influence Balance and Injury Risk?

Posture has a major influence upon balance and coordination and influences how readily the body will adjust to movement and stabilize. Proper posture places the body center of gravity within its most effective base of support. Protracted head and rounded shoulders posture, for instance, moves the upper body weight forward, placing additional loads on the lower back, hips, and knees in order to stabilize [31].

In older individuals, these balance changes may lead to an increased risk for falling. Posture that is stooped or stiff may impair the body’s facility for rapid correction during a misstep or uneven movement. Joint stiffness, also characteristic of progressive age, also adds to this threat. Impairments in balance due to posture, indeed, significantly add to fall injury in elderly populations.

Even kids are affected. Physically healthy individuals or sportspersons lose proprioceptive feedback when their posture is abnormal. Proprioception is the body’s internal sense of location and movement that aids in the execution of functions such as jumping, running quickly, or turning. Abnormal posture halts the mechanism, leading to instability with quick or precise movement.

Standing stance is also affected. Fallen arches or flat feet, commonly developed as a consequence of incorrect standing stance or ill-fitting shoes, can result in walking pattern modification. The modification has the capability to cause knee, hip, or spinal compensatory movement, liable to put stress or overuse lesions in regions.

Summary: Recognizing the Subtle Signs

The less obvious effects of poor posture have their roots in what would otherwise appear unrelated symptoms. Sleep problems, headaches, aching jaws, dizziness and clumsiness can all be traced to the everyday positioning of the body. These warning signals addressed early on can lead to more effective intervention and better long-term outcomes.

While it was previously all about simply caring about the appearance of posture, there must be knowledge of how it functions. It is not simply a case of standing up straight. It is about staying in alignment, allowing for proper breathing, minimizing tension, and assisting with healthy daily and nighttime movement habits.

What Coping Strategies Have People Found Helpful?

Posture problem management is seldom a case of one fix for everyone. Real life has the result that individuals generally have to experiment with a series of measures before they discover what really works for their specific body, practice, and setting. Ranging from intense ergonomic interventions to innovative do-it-yourself workarounds and the wisdom of supportive groups, these mitigation strategies attest to the resourcefulness and flexibility of people in attempting to handle posture-related pain.

Learning Through Trial and Error

How Do People Use Trial and Error to Find What Works?

All use the term trial-and-error to describe how they learned to have better posture. They try different remedies, figuring out gradually what adjustments alleviate and which don’t. Some begin by investing in ergonomic chairs that support their lumbar spines and position their vertebrae in neutral positions. Others resort to standing desks or standing and sitting workstation hybrids as a try to minimize extended sitting time, finding in the process that transition from sitting to standing decreases fatigue and stiffness [32].

People also comment on trying different work-rest ratios, such as standing for twenty minutes each hour or taking micro-pauses to stand up and re-set posture. The micro-experiments have a way of revealing the multiplied gain of many small regular changes as opposed to one massive one.

Stretching routines are a frequent reported activity. Individuals will attempt series of mobility exercises, such as Pilates, yoga, or particular physiotherapy stretches, in order to reverse poor posture. As an illustration, exercises for the neck mobility and chest opening can help to improve forward head posture and rounded shoulders. Through persistent usage over time, many report that it does have an effect regarding comfort and flexibility.

Posture reminder programs or wearable sensors also became popular. The devices offer subtle reminders to use healthier posture, which encourage individuals to remain mindful of their alignment during the day. People describe slowly developing healthier habits through the help of these technologies along with physical interventions. Although not a panacea, they are excellent training aids in the initial formation of healthier posture habits.

Creative and DIY Solutions for Posture Support

What DIY and Creative Adaptations Help with Posture?

For others, standard ergonomic equipment is not even available or affordable. This is where DIY and think-outside-the-box approaches come into play. People tend to devise ways of reusing things they already have at home in order to create more comfortable areas. For instance, curled towels or small pillows are commonly employed to provide additional support for the lumbar region while sitting for long hours. Wearing a good cushion on the feet can assist in obtaining a better position of the lower body when working at too-high desk.

Others use hourly phone reminders or smartwatches to remind them to shift position or check posture. These small reminders can prevent static postures from turning into prolonged ones and remind staff to move more often, the most effective solution for preventing muscle strain and fatigue [33].

Creative workspace adjustments are also prevalent. People may place their laptop on piles of books, place an external keyboard at a more accessible height, or tilt monitor placements to promote a more neutral neck posture. People have also described using low-cost resistance bands to introduce simple strength exercises during work breaks. While these accommodations are not a substitute for professional ergonomic evaluations, they tend to serve as useful jumping-off points for establishing healthier posture routines.

Also, other people create their own posture devices. DIY standing desk converters and chair wedges using thick foam are just a few examples. These inexpensive interventions illustrate the creativity with which others embark on posture improvement.

The Power of Community and Peer Support

How Does Community Support Motivate People?

One of the strongest and most underutilized coping mechanisms is others’ help. Internet bulletin boards, social networks, and local wellness systems provide havens where members can post their posture issues, provide suggestions, and share success with others. Such networks give individuals a sense of belonging and legitimacy, ensuring that they are not isolated in their circumstances [34].

Listening to others’ stories can spark new ideas or tools that they might not have come up with otherwise. For instance, one can hear about an assistive posture aid, stretching aid, or useful ergonomic tool from a forum post. Such anecdotes tend to create curiosity and motivate the participants to take action.

Social support also has an accountability factor. Other people viewing your goals or setbacks as part of a social setting keeps individuals focused with posture-improvement routines. Sharing something about movement or taking part in a challenge, for example, “thirty days of posture checks,” creates boundaries which demand everyday attention to alignment and body awareness.

Also, peer support is an emotional boost when motivation wanes. Having people who recognize that posture pain and the commitment needed to make change happen are irritating issues serves to construct a self-sustaining feedback loop that sustains ongoing effort. This sense of solidarity can transform what otherwise could be an isolating struggle for health into a collaborative journey to development and resilience.

Why Is It So Important to Listen to Your Body and Adapt Mindfully?

Improved posture is seldom gained overnight. It is not simply a matter of standing up straight or paying for the right chair. Everyday posture problems are strongly influenced by tension linked to feelings, working conditions, habit, and even how one perceives oneself. That is why being supplied with the right information about the right posture is no absolute guarantee for change in the long term.

Correcting posture begins with noticing. Being attentive when your shoulders hunch forward when you are under stress or when you barely realize you are sitting forward. Those are the signs that are obvious and showing you that your body is giving you a signal that something is not right. Listening to them and not ignoring them is where change begins.

But knowledge is only half the battle. To fully care for your body, you must also get used to things gradually and flexibly. Perhaps what you are doing now does not permit lengthy time-outs or official exercise. It’s okay. Small things, like adjusting the seat on your chair, stretching for two minutes or putting a reminder on your phone, have huge ripple effects when done on a regular basis over time.

Adjustment conscious also entails being nice to yourself. Some days your posture will fail you, particularly at times of exhaustion or tension. Instead of criticizing yourself, look at those times as opportunities to reboot and readjust. Self-kindness makes the process more endurable and less infuriating.

Creative problem-solving is also included in the package. You can’t so much buy an ergonomic desk, but you can hack an upright space using books and cushions. You can’t so much do traditional stretching, but you prefer getting up and moving by dance or walking. There isn’t one “right” way to repair posture. The ideal approach is the one your body, life and goals allow.

Finally, posture is not an ill habit. Posture is the means by which we move in the world. When we engage with posture with awareness and serenity, we can build, not only our spine, but confidence, energy and overall wellness.

Conclusion

Good posture is much more than standing or sitting up straight. It is the moving relationship between our bodies, minds, habits, environments, and social forces. From emotional tension to fashion, from the requirements of work and play in contemporary life to the more insidious pressures of body ideals, there are numerous underlying factors that govern how we move through each day. Genuine experiences remind us that posture issues can befall anyone, whether working at a desk or fighting with physical labor or working creatively or doing it just for fun.

Consequences of bad posture extend much further than just looking awkward. More insidious consequences such as nerve compression, breathlessness, nausea and reduced balance can quietly undermine happiness and health. Rehabilitation is never straightforward or automatic. It involves ongoing self-monitoring, experimental testing to discover what works and incremental, small-step change. With expert guidance, improvisational ingenuity or healthy camaraderie, numerous individuals find that improved posture can be acquired through determination and persistence.

And lastly, posture is never ideal, but adaptable. To learn to listen to the body and its murmurs and respond intelligently, we can establish habits that bring comfort as well as overall well-being. More upright posture is a process that is uniquely our own, dependent on our own circumstance, and one that is worthwhile to take on as part of an healthier, more alert approach to living.

References (APA Style with Valid Links)

1. Robertson, M. M., Ciriello, V. M., & Garabet, A. M. (2013). Office ergonomics training and a sit-stand workstation: Effects on musculoskeletal and visual symptoms and performance of office workers. Applied Ergonomics, 44(1), 73–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2012.05.005
2. Canales, J. Z. et al. (2010). Posture and body image in major depressive disorder: a controlled study. BMC Psychiatry, 10, 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-10-12
3. Peper, E., Booiman, A., Lin, I. M., & Harvey, R. (2016). Increase strength and mood with posture: Walk tall, stand tall, and feel tall. Biofeedback, 44(3), 126–133. https://doi.org/10.5298/1081-5937-44.3.04
4. Cronin, N. J. (2014). The effects of high heeled shoes on female gait: A review. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 24(2), 258–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2014.01.004
5. Claus, A. P. et al. (2008). Sitting versus standing: A comparative study of axial and appendicular body posture. Human Movement Science, 27(2), 284–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2008.02.003
6. Waongenngarm, P., Rajaratnam, B. S., & Janwantanakul, P. (2015). Internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscle fatigue induced by slumped sitting posture: An electromyographic study. Manual Therapy, 20(5), 640–645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2015.02.012
7. World Health Organization, “Low Back Pain Fact Sheet” (June 2023). Online .
8. S. N. Nair et al., “Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial,” Health Psychology 34(6):632–641 (2015). PMID: 25222091. Online.
9. B. Shahidi et al., “Differential effects of mental concentration and acute psychosocial stress on cervical muscle activity and posture,” J. Electromyogr. Kinesiol. 23(5):1082–1089 (2013). PMCID: PMC4968934 . https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4968934/
10. M. Zaheer et al., “Heavy Bag Lifting Time with Postural Pain in Secondary School Students,” Pakistan BMJ 5(2):63–66 (2022). DOI: 10.54393/pbmj.v5i2.232 . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359571624_Association_of_heavy_bag_lifting_time_with_postural_pain_in_secondary_school_students
11. Y.-S. Song et al., “Gait Changes Caused by the Habits and Methods of Carrying a Handbag,” Journal of Physical Therapy Science 25(3):221–226 (2013). PMCID: PMC3820208. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24259895/
12. C. Colonna et al., “Immediate Effect of Simulated High Heels on Pelvic and Spinal Posture in Healthy Young Subjects: A Cross-Sectional Study,” Biomech. Model. Mechanobiol. (2024). PMCID: PMC10994651. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38576640/
13. M. E. Franklin et al., “An analysis of posture and back pain in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy,” J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther. 28(3):133–138 (1998). PMID: 9742469. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9742469/
14. S. Lindberg, “6 Exercises for Rounded Shoulders,” Healthline, July 19, 2024. Online.
15. C. Wilkes et al., “Upright posture improves affect and fatigue in people with depressive symptoms,” J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry 54:143–149 (2017). PMID: 27494342. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27494342/
16. M. S. Sirajudeen et al., “Prevalence of text neck posture, smartphone addiction, and its association with neck disorders,” PeerJ 10:e14443 (2022). PMCID: PMC9760021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36540801/
17. Yoo and W.-G. Yoo, “Effects of the Wearing of Tight Jeans on Lumbar and Hip Movement during Trunk Flexion,” J. Phys. Ther. Sci. 24(8):659–661 (2012). DOI: 10.1589/jpts.24.659. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jpts/24/8/24_JPTS-2012-032/_article
18. S. Lyu, “Posture Modification Effects Using Soft Materials Structures” (Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of Minnesota, 2016). Online.
19. Sallinen, J., Kuklane, K., Mäntysaari, S., Keskinen, E., & Tamminen, N. (2011). Sedentary behavior and physical activity in working‑age adults in relation to occupational and leisure time. BMC Public Health, 11, 273. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-273
20. Zaza, C. (1998). Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in musicians. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 13(2), 55–61. https://doi.org/10.21091/mppa.1998.4039
21. Szeto, G. P., & Straker, L. (2002). A comparison of posture and muscle activity during conventional and alternative computer mouse use. Applied Ergonomics, 33(5), 463–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-6870(02)00010-2
22. Pope, H. G., Phillips, K. A., & Olivardia, R. (2000). Body image and posture: social influences on appearance. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(6), 713–719. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005102213138
23. Marras, W. S. (2000). Occupational low back disorder causation: how well have we identified specific risk factors? Ergonomics, 43(7), 880–902. https://doi.org/10.1080/001401300404775
24. Hooper, T. L., Denton, J., McGalliard, M., & Keating, J. L. (2010). Thoracic outlet syndrome. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441832/
25. Harrington, L., et al. (2014). Posture and gastrointestinal function: insights from clinical observations. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 29(S1), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.12494
26. Cramer, H., Lauche, R., & Dobos, G. (2013). Yoga for low back pain: a revised systematic review and meta-analysis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(4), CD010671. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010671
27. Chen, J., et al. (2018). Impact of work-related musculoskeletal disorders on sleep: the case of adult sedentary workers. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 23(2), 242–254. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000116
28. Sforza, E., et al. (2000). Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and craniofacial structure. Chest, 117(4), 909–917. https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.117.4.909
29. Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., Madeleine, P., & Puentedura, E. J. (2006). Headache and cervical muscle dysfunction in chronic tension-type headache. Cephalalgia, 26(5), 468–478. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01037.x
30. Michelotti, A., Cordero, G., & Farella, M. (2011). Relationship between posture and TMD: a systematic review. Clinical Oral Investigations, 15(5), 759–765. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-010-0430-1
31. Lord, S. R., Ward, J. A., Williams, P., & Anstey, K. J. (1994). Postural stability and subsequent falls in older adults. Age and Ageing, 23(6), 452–458. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/23.6.452
32. Howarth, A., Haslegrave, C., & Lloyd, S. (2012). Ergonomic interventions for office workers: impact on posture, discomfort, and productivity. Occupational Medicine, 62(3), 190–198. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqs082
33. Robertson, M. M., & O’Neill, M. J. (2009). Office ergonomics training and workstation adjustments: effects on posture and worker comfort. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 51(2), 220–228. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181a2a2fa
34. Bevan, S. (2015). Self-management strategies for musculoskeletal disorders: systematic review. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 16, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-015-0463-6.