It has been documented that poor posture can lead to back pain. Correcting your posture toward a standard posture and strengthening the muscles that pull on the spine can relieve pain and reduce the stress and discomfort that faulty posture creates. Discover your neutral spine position and how to maintain that position in all activities that you do. Neutral spine is the standard alignment of the spine that will place minimum stress and strain on the back.
Pelvic Tilts
Step 1
Lie on your back on the floor, or exercise mat, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Relax your shoulders and neck and pull chin into the floor.
Step 2
Arch your back away from the floor, while keeping hips on the floor. This is a forward pelvic tilt.
Step 3
Rotate your back and flatten it into the floor, while keeping hips on the floor. This is a backward pelvic tilt.
Step 4
Move back and forth between the forward and backward pelvic tilt slowly 10 times.
Step 5
Relax your back into a neutral position, which is in the middle of these two extreme pelvic tilt positions. It is not in the extreme middle, but where you feel most comfortable, without having to work at holding the position. This is your neutral spine position.
Training Neutral Spine
Step 1
Continue from the pelvic tilts and find your neutral spine position, midway between the pelvic tilt positions.
Step 2
Hold this neutral spine position for 10 seconds by tightening your abdominal muscles, like you are trying to zip up tight pans, and tightening your buttocks without lifting your hips off the floor. This should be an isometric contraction where you do not move, just tighten.
Step 3
Relax your muscles without changing your spine position.
Step 4
Repeat three to four times by tightening and holding for 10 seconds and then relaxing. Concentrate on the position that your spine is in and how it feels when you are holding the neutral position. This is the position you want to be in when you are doing all activities to correct faulty posture.
Back Position
Step 1
Lie on your stomach on the floor. Place your hands under your chin with your elbows out to the side.
Step 2
Slowly lift your chest and head off the floor, keeping your hands under your chin. Do not lift your feet off the floor, just your upper body.
Step 3
Slowly lower your chest back to the floor. Repeat 10 times.
Step 4
Stretch out your back to relax your muscles by pushing up onto your hands and knees.
Step 5
Sit back onto your heels and stretch your arm out in front of you on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise mat
