Mention the word 'posture' & everyone is bound to fix it immediately..
When you think about the evolution of Humans, you may think, depending on your beliefs "A long time ago we were Ape’s, jump forward a few thousand years and we became Humans. We moved around on four legs and now we walk on two”.
This is due to a long, long process of gradual development called evolution.
We have, historically, had to adapt to our environment in order to survive. Essentially bringing forth the 'evolve or die' concept we know today.
So, now that we don't have to fend off predators, find shelter & hunt for ourselves. How does evolution or adaptation exist in todays society?
Think of the one thing you do every single day of your life. Whether you're providing for your family, in a social environment having a few drinks or relaxing in your lounge room, you are forever sitting! Which is, by the way, a completely un-natural position to be in for extended periods of time. We have not been design to sit in this position... At all...
So, as you can see from the picture above, we 'adapt' into this slouched position. Since we are looking at a screen that fatigues our eyes all day, they start straining & our heavy 4.5/5kg heads try to move closer. Hence, the first steps towards our new adaptive, 'evolved' posture. A straining sensation of the neck & shoulders may cause neural tension throughout the brachial plexus (bunch of nerves around the neck & shoulders). Resulting in constant headaches, excessive internal rotation of the shoulders & all round general joint irritation & pain (not to mention the effect placed on Blood Pressure & heart health from extended sitting).
Voila, we have created our own evolution in record time from a tall, upright position to what would now be considered an almost 'normal' human posture.
*Spoiler alert*
Prescribed Resistance training & exercise will help .