Can Slouching Cause Chest Pain?

Why do you slouch?

Most people will probably say they slouch because it feels comfortable and if you think the same, then you are wrong.

I will tell you why below.

Slouching causes more damage than you think.

It creates tension and stresses your muscles and joints.

Over time it might cause you uncomfortableness and even pain in many different areas including the chest.

Right now you might feel perfectly fine, you might even feel fine for the next 5-10 years or longer.

But at some point, you will feel the consequences.

Besides creating problems for your muscles and joints it also looks less attractive and it can make you appear smaller.

There even seems to be a connection between your mental/emotional state and your posture, e.g. a slouching posture has the potential to make you less confident.

Chest Pain And Slouching 101

When you are slouching, whether during sitting or standing, your spine and the muscles on your back, neck, and chest are affected and they are put under unnecessary strain.

The chest muscles tighten while the back muscles become weak. You might experience soreness in your muscles similar to if you have worked out.

This is one reason that might explain a slight pain in your chest.

The more you lean forward the more tension and strain is created. Where the serious complications start to occur is when your posture is actually compressing the lungs.

Obviously, it depends on the severity of your slouching posture, but this can affect your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. You might experience a weird tingling sensation or pain in your chest as a consequence.

Not having enough space for your lungs to easily provide sufficient oxygen is a big problem and can cause a cascading number of issues.

This could be another reason why you experience chest pain.

You could potentially end up with less oxygen to your brain which makes you sleepy and reduces your ability to concentrate.

When Can You Experience Pain?

Chest pains are not something you will get after slouching for a little while.

We are probably talking about many years or even decades of poor posture.

In the case of slouching, your spine can end up reshaping and adapting. Your spine could even make permanent changes.

Years of incorrect posture lead to what is called disc degeneration (discs in your spine) and can cause pain in the surrounding areas.

Having a good posture will help reduce chest pain.

What Are The Other Effects Of Poor Posture?

Aside from chest pains, slouching can also cause neck and shoulder pain, digestive issues and breathing problems.

A slump position puts pressure on your stomach and lungs as also mentioned above.

You can take a look at your stomach when you slouch. Do you see a balloon-like compression of your abdomen?

Compare that to when you straighten up your back. Maybe you can even feel like the insides of your stomach suddenly have room again.

Actually, when you re-position your back, the internal organs really do have more space and have better conditions to do their job.

Can Slouching Lead To Depression?

Some research suggests that there could be a connection between poor posture and depression.

When you slouch, the tension in the body causes a release of cortisol which is a stress hormone.

As you might know, too much stress affects both your mood and your mental health.

Poor posture has also been shown to lead to lower self-confidence.

Personally, I don’t think that it only has something to do with like a “mind-body connection”, but also because whether be consciously or subconsciously we admire or find people more attractive if they stand tall with an upright position.

It really does affect how we perceive and interact with that person.

What Can Help Reduce Chest Pain From Slouching

Posture-related chest pains can be addressed by taking frequent breaks and avoiding prolonged sitting.

Simple stretching and strengthening exercises that retract the shoulders can be of great help to get you back in an upright posture and stand taller.

You could work out with some weights or you could do activities like yoga. I have done both and it has worked well for my posture.

It might also help to get a massage on sore and achy muscles. If you don’t like to go to a masseuse or physical therapist, then a great number of people have found that some particular massage devices can help.

You might also find it useful to consider some often overlooked ways to improve your posture like how you sleep or how you sit in general.

Furthermore, if you like to watch television in bed then this should be helpful.

Finally, there are also some useful products that can help correct your posture. If that sounds interesting to you, then I have written a list of some of the more stylish options here.

I think these products can be really useful to you, especially if you are experiencing chest pain.

Some people who bought either a posture brace or posture correcting shirt have said they got immediate pain relief when putting them on.