Many women experience posture-related problems, such as low back pain, neck pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), migraines and stiff shoulders. These symptoms worsen among pregnant and post-partum women because of the physical changes during pregnancy. Therefore, women must learn to correct and maintain correct posture to alleviate and prevent pain and other ailments.
Definition
Posture is being able to maintain your center of gravity without placing excessive stress to your spine and other body structures, whether you are moving or standing still. From a standing side view, good posture is when the top of your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle are in alignment with each other.
Types
The most common deviation is the anterior pelvic tilt, where the pelvis is "dipped" forward, lifting the buttocks and hyperextending the lower back. This causes the center of gravity to shift forward, placing stress in the lower back and weakening the hip and core muscles.
Kyphosis is the excessive flexion of the upper spine, causing the head to jut forward. This is often accompanied with the posterior pelvic tilt where the tailbone is tucked beneath the body. This position flexes the lower spine and exaggerates the curve of the upper spine, causing a "droopy" buttocks appearance and hunched shoulders.
Another common deviation is the elevation deviation, where the pelvis is tipped to the side, causing the hip on one side to hike up and the shoulder on the same side or opposite side to lift. This deviation causes one side of the body to feel tighter and have less range of motion.
Causes
Anterior pelvic tilt is common among pregnant women and obese women with large, distended bellies. This causes their center of gravity to shift forward, pulling the pelvis and lower spine forward and tightening the hip flexor muscles
Posterior pelvic tilt is often caused by weak muscles in the buttocks, core and spine muscles. This is often a result from sitting too much, such as in front of a computer or driving a vehicle.
Kyphosis are not only common among women who sit a lot, but also among those with large breasts--natural or augmented. The weight of the breasts pulls the upper body forward, tightening the chest muscles and weakening the back muscles.
Prevention/Solution
One of the best ways to correct poor posture is corrective exercise, which is a method to reteach your body proper alignment and movement. This type of training include strengthening the muscles in the spine, hips and trunk and regaining normal range of motion in all joints. Corrective exercises can be incorporated with functional exercises to train the body to move in all directions front different positions.
Expert Insight
If you sit often at work or at home, take breaks every 15 to 20 minutes to stand up, walk around and stretch. This will minimize the amount of hunching and wake up your postural muscles. When exercising at home or at the gym, avoid exercises that require you to sit, because they don't strengthen your posture and core muscles.
References
- "Pain-Free Program"; Anthony Carey; 2005
- "Women's Posture"; John Paul Catanzaro; 2008
