Lumbar lordosis describes the hollow in the lower back. This helps to form a strong back. This lordosis is reduced when we sit slouching, lifting or bending forwards. Prolonged loss of lordosis or poor posture can overstretch the ligaments which link the vertebrae together.

Try this exercise: Bend a finger back and hold it. Now push a little further to the point of pain and over stretching. No damage is done in the short term, but in the long term ligaments may partially tear. With poor posture, spinal ligaments which cross the vertebrae can be strained in the same way and produce pain.

Ligaments which support the spine and connect the vertebrae also form the retaining walls of the discs. Over stretched spinal ligaments can lead to less support for the discs, which can allow the discs to begin to bulge, creating sciatic neuropathy.

Prolonged anterior head tilt can cause tension on the spinal cord and brain stem. This results in up to 15kg of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine which can lead to reduced lung capacity. This could then result in heart and blood vascular problems and gastrointestinal problems such as loss of good bowel peristaltic function and evacuation. Adjusting your cervical and thoracic spine along with stretches and exercises can help correct imbalances in posture and improve spinal alignment.
Dowager’s hump can form around the top thoracic vertebrae and is accented with poor neck posture.