Is Poor Posture the cause of your Heartburn?

Heartburn or Acid reflux clinically referred to as GERD (gastro oesophageal reflux disease) is commonly treated as a food related problem with medication given for relief and nutrition advice to manage.

There is now a growing body of research supporting what we have been seeing clinically in practice for years, that posture can often be the root cause of the problem. Even more so now with the pervasive use of digital devices in all their forms, postural distress has become the new normal wreaking havoc with our digestion and health in general.

Having a hunched over posture reduces the normal space for your organs

It is often forgotten that digestion is as much a mechanical process of agitation and transit moving food from top to bottom as much as it is a chemical one.

When postural dysfunction is the cause of GERD, food and acid in the stomach is blocked from moving naturally out of the stomach and into the small intestine and flows backwards into the oesophagus which causes the burning sensation in the chest and/or

• Chest pain

• Acidic taste in your mouth

• A feeling of a blocked oesophagus

• A feeling like you’re choking or your throat is blocked

• Inability to swallow

• Nausea

When your posture deteriorates it disrupts the normal function of the organs.

Chronic postural dysfunction changes not only the normal healthy position of our spine and other joints but also our vital organs, disrupting their normal function. Just as your joints and muscles require proper alignment to function properly so too do your organs, especially the digestive tract.

Even something as simple as sitting correctly whilst eating can reduce the symptoms of GERD. Unfortunately many of the postural distortions we see are so chronic that people are stuck in a more forward position that is unhealthy all the time, not just when they are sitting. In these cases attempts to sit or stand ‘straighter’ only creates the compensation of hinging from the lower back creating problems lower down and failing to restore normal posture of the head, shoulders and thorax over the pelvis, hips and ankles. This posture compacts the chest and stomach compartments creating the blockages mentioned. (more on the effects on breathing later).

Here are some tips:

1)  Maintain healthy body weight – truncal obesity puts excessive pressure on the abdomen and spine

2)  Start becoming aware of your posture and taking steps to limit slouching

3)  Take regular breaks from sedentary postures – the biggest culprit of postural dysfunction are the many hours we spend sitting

4)  Deep breathing – most of us don’t breath properly. Proper breathing using the diaphragm is essential for good posture and digestion. Diaphragmatic breathing means that your tummy should rise and fall with a relaxed breath, not your chest.

5)  Take a walk after meals instead of going back to work or slouching into the couch. Definitely don’t go straight to bed!

6)  Get a chiropractic check-up for expert postural assessment, tailored advice and correction.

For more information on how your posture may be causing your health problems and how to correct it contact Dr Andrew Richards (Chiropractor) Well Aligned Cammeray