Corrective exercise is a method that many physical therapists, personal trainers and chiropractors use to improve posture. It addresses the source and cause of the posture deviation, joint pain and movement dysfunction rather than treating the pain symptoms, explains fitness professional Anthony Carey, owner of Function First Exercise Studio in San Diego. Different postures require different exercises and strategies because there are no one-size-fits-all methods.
Posture Types
Carey identifies four common types of postures that causes different kinds of joint pain and movement dysfunction. The anterior pelvic tilt involves an excessive forward tilt of the pelvis that causes your sacrum and tailbone to lift. This causes an increased curvature of your lumbar spine and your abdominals to protrude.
Posterior pelvic tilt is where your pelvis tilts back, causing your lumbar spine to lose its natural curve. This also cause your buttocks to appear to sag down and your shoulders and neck to thrust forward.
In an elevation deviation, one side of your pelvis tilts higher than the other side, causing the shoulder on the same side or the opposite side of the raised hip to tilt up.
In the rotation deviation, your pelvis is rotated excessively to your right or left, causing your torso and shoulder girdle to rotate in the opposite direction to counterbalance. The latter two cause the most pain and discomfort.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
This stretch lengthens the muscles and tissues in the front of your hips and strengthens your buttocks for the anterior pelvic tilt. Stand with your right foot in front of the left and shift your weight toward the right foot. Tighten your left buttock and raise your left arm over your head. Hold the stretch for six deep breaths. Repeat the stretch on the other side. Perform two to three sets of stretches.
Press-Up
For the posterior pelvic tilt, lie face down on the floor and place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Push your arms against the floor to lift up your torso, tightening your buttocks to prevent too much extension of your lower spine. Hold the stretch for five to six deep breaths. Repeat the exercise two to three more times.
Lateral Flexion
For the elevation deviation, stand with your legs about hip-width apart and raise your left arm over your head. Lean your torso to your right and push your hip to your left. Hold the stretch for five deep breaths. Repeat the stretch on each of your body three times. If one side of your body feels tighter, perform an extra stretch on the tighter side.
Supine Hip Rotation
For the rotation deviation, lie on your back with your arms out to your sides. Bring both knees to your stomach and push them against each other. Turn your hip and legs to your left until your left leg touches the floor. Do not lift your right shoulder or arm off the ground. Hold the stretch for five deep breaths and repeat the stretch on the other side. Perform an extra set on the tighter side.
References
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Michael Clark; 2007
- "Pain-Free Program"; Anthony Carey; 2005
