People are always talking about posture – stand up straight, don’t slouch, watch your back! However, good posture is easier said than done. Good posture is really a very general term because so many factors go into achieving this goal. You must strengthen some of the smaller muscles of your body – namely some of the core muscles discussed in the last few weeks – and these muscles must be toned for endurance to last through an 8 hour workday or any other activity. Yet even focusing on increasing strength of these muscles is insufficient without first achieving proper alignment of the body.
Since everyone has a little different version of what can be described as proper posture, perhaps a better term is “efficient posture”. This means your body is aligned in a way that your core muscles can activate automatically and constantly in response to the demands of your everyday activities. Ideally, you should not have to tell your core muscles to contract when you lift a box or jump up and down, they should react on their own. By finding your efficient posture and strengthening through functional activities (reaching, lifting, turning) your body will know to automatically recruit your core muscles to protect your spine.
The bottom pictures demonstrate several common defective or inefficient postures. In each of these postures, your muscles are not working to their potential and you are either getting support in your spine from primarily your ligaments – which are not designed to endure constant stress – or overworked lower back muscles. Either way, prolonged time in these postures often leads to spinal pain.
The top picture is a general depiction of good posture. Ideally, your vertebrae should stack like building blocks to provide a stable, aligned spine. Your neck, chest or buttocks should not stick out and your knees should not be locked. In this posture, your abdominal muscles will be automatically engaged with any movement you make and the larger muscles surrounding your spine can relax and be less painful.
To find your efficient posture, stand and rock your pelvis front and back until you find a spot where your pelvis feels like it is in a comfortable position. Then take a deep breath and allow your spine to elongate up towards your head without allowing your newly aligned pelvis to move. Now take inventory of your body. If your chest is sticking out drop it a little closer to your belly button. If you are still a little slouched in your upper back, stick your hands under your lower ribs and lift up towards your head gently as you take another deep breath. You may feel as if you are leaning backwards or forwards too far but if you look at yourself sideways in the mirror, you will most likely see your spine is aligned and straight.
Once you find this efficient posture, you can now exercise in this position to strengthen your core most effectively. For more information on postural alignment or for guidance in achieving an efficient posture and eliminating back pain, contact us at Proactive Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine!