Have you ever wondered why your posture collapses under stress, no matter how much you try to fix it? Read below what are the possible reasons!
The diaphragm is connected to your lower back with its insertion via (L1–L3). In addition, it is connected to your neck neurologically via the phrenic nerve (C3–C5). Consequently, it doesn’t only affect the neck but also affects your shoulder, since C5 is the neurological supply to the outer surface of your shoulder.
What causes diaphragm dysfunction?
Bad posture that comes from stress. When you are under stress—physically, emotionally, or psychologically, the sympathetic nervous system takes over, which increases the breathing rate driven by more impulses to the accessory breathing muscles (SCM, scalenes, and upper trap). On the other hand, the diaphragm becomes more inhibited because it is a parasympathetically-driven muscle. This is another reason why the neck gets more pressure on it when the accessory breathing muscles tighten more during stress.
During chronic stress:
The diaphragm becomes underused, which causes the fascia around it to become more restricted (it attaches to the lumbar spine, ribs, and psoas muscle). Consequently, the abdominal pressure is not contained properly, which affects the lumbar spine stability. Eventually, the lumbar spine, ribs, and hip become mechanically restricted, leading to mechanical problems and pain not only in the lumbar spine but also in the hips and eventually the knees and ankles.
More Mechanical and physiological details:
The diaphragm pulls the lumbar spine from anterior to extension, but there are critical physiological structures anteriorly, such as the nerves and the aorta, so the body compensates into a flexion position for these vertebrae. In addition, when the diaphragm is in an inhibited state, the whole core becomes weaker (multifidus and pelvic floor). Consequently, the extension force on the lumbar spine becomes less, which makes the body compensate into a flexion position.
Chronic dysfunction of the diaphragm:
Over time, the motility of the organs below the diaphragm decreases, which can lead to various GIT problems such as colonic dilatation and constipation. Furthermore, the vessels passing through the diaphragm may become compressed due to diaphragm tightness or reduced organ motility. This can affect joints with an already limited blood supply—such as the hip—potentially contributing to hip osteoarthritis.
