Can Bad Posture Cause Constipation?

The effects of bad posture are reflected not just on your looks but also on your overall well-being. How you carry yourself has a significant impact on your body both mentally and physically. When you make bad posture part of your daily routine you are subjecting your body to function inappropriately. The unfortunate thing is that most people with poor posture have no idea how it can have a toll on their health.

This guide will try to answer the question can bad posture cause constipation?

Apart from the effects on physical appearance, bad posture can also cause constipation. A study conducted by the United States National Library of Medicine on the influence of body posture on intestinal transit of gas has concurred that this is actually true. The aim of the study was to determine whether body posture supine versus upright has an effect on intestinal transit of gas.

This study was conducted on eight healthy subjects who didn’t have gastrointestinal symptoms. Each of the subjects, a gas mixture was infused into the jejunum for about three hours. Afterwards, abdominal girth, perception, and clearance of non-absorbable gaseous marker were recorded. Paired studies were then performed in each subject on different days in the supine and upright position.

The results from the study indicated that in the supine position, intestinal gas retention was much higher (146(75)ml) than when in the upright position (13(52)ml). Take note that this gas challenge was tolerated in supine and upright positions without abdominal distensions.

Patients from the study describe that body posture may affect their flatulence, distention and abdominal bloating. However, the possibility of poor posture effects on stomach pain or Poor posture fatigue were not investigated. From the study, it can be concluded that body posture has a significant effect on propulsion. It’s also evident that transit is faster in the upright than supine position.