Poor posture can be caused by a number of factors. Spending long periods of time sitting at a desk or in a car, slouching, badly designed workout programs, poor flexibility and habitual positions adopted in sports such as cycling can all cause postural abnormalities to develop. Poor posture can have a significant impact on how your body performs and how you feel as well as on your health.
Benefits of Upright Posture
Being more upright uses less energy than being hunched in poor posture. The weight of your head is supported by your spine as opposed to your muscles as it will be held directly over your base of support. Being hunched forwards places an increased demand on your muscles as they work to support the weight of your head, and this can become very tiring. The muscles holding you in position become infused with the waste products of metabolism and can become tense and painful. Many headaches are caused by poor posture. Poor posture places pressure on the connective structures of your spine, which can lead to non-specific back pain that is hard to treat until posture has been corrected.
Assessing Posture
A chiropractor, osteopath or many other qualified body workers can assess your posture. You can, however, give yourself a rudimentary postural assessment. Stand facing a full-length mirror. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart, your hands are by your sides and your knees are slightly bent. Your knees, hips and shoulders should all be level. Any height imbalances suggest that there may be a lateral deviation between the left and right sides. If the backs of your hands are facing forwards, this suggests that your upper arms are medially rotated, or turned in.
Turn and view your posture from the side. Your neck should be long and your chin slightly tucked in. Very little of your upper back should be visible from the side, and the curve of your upper back should not be excessively pronounced. Your lower back should curve inwards, but not excessively.
Stretching Tight Muscles
Many common postural abnormalities are caused by overly tight muscles. Muscles tend to tighten with inactivity and as a result of adapting to positions of modern living. The most commonly tight muscles that affect posture are the pectoralis major muscles of the chest, the abdominal muscles and the hip flexors at the front of the pelvis. When these three muscles become short and tight, they pull your shoulders and spine forwards into a position called hyperkyphosis, which manifests as a forward head carry and rounded upper back. To develop a more upright posture, you should spend 5 to 10 minutes a day stretching these muscles. Hold each stretch for 60 seconds or more and relax into each stretch to develop your flexibility.
Strengthening Weak Muscles
For every muscle that is tight, there is likely to be an opposing muscle that is weak. The most common weak muscles that result in poor posture are the middle trapezius muscles and rhomboids between your shoulder blades, the erector spinea muscles which run the length of your spine, and the gluteus maximus, or butt, muscles. Perform strengthening exercises such as hip bridges, wall angels and back extensions to ensure your postural muscles are strong enough to pull you upright against gravity and against the tension of your overly tight muscles.
Postural Reeducation
Stretching and strengthening are important for developing a more upright posture, but both will be significantly less effective unless you make a conscious effort to sit and stand in a more upright position. When sitting, bend your knees to 90 degrees and place your feet flat on the floor. Try to make sure you are sitting on your ischium, or sitting bones at the bottom of your pelvis, rather than your sacrum at the base of your spine. Keep your lower back slightly arched and your chest lifted. Avoid extending your neck towards your computer screen, but instead raise the screen to your natural eye level. Periodically check your position and adjust your self back into good posture. If you do this often enough, you will make your new, more upright posture a habit.
References
- "The New Rules of Posture: How to Sit, Stand, and Move in the Modern World"; Mary Bond; 2006
- "Posture, Get It Straight! Look Ten Years Younger, Ten Pounds Thinner and Feel Better Than Ever"; Janice S. Novak; 2006
- "Stretching: 30th Anniversary Edition" Bob Anderson and Jean Anderson; 2010
