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Physical therapists talk a lot about posture with patients because it is so important to maintain the curves of the spine in balanced positions. If poor postural alignment or body mechanics are a habit, neck pain, headaches, upper back pain and eventual shoulder and arm pain are sure to follow. Good posture will minimize and prevent back and neck pain and injury. If pain is already present, good posture will reduce and may even eliminate pain. We know that understanding and using good posture is the key to preventing lots of problems. Humans have a beautifully engineered and balanced frame (musculoskeletal system) that provides for even distribution of load forces during weight bearing and activity. Our spines are made from 24 individually moving bones, called vertebrae. They are arranged in four zones: tailbone (sacrum), low-back (lumbar), mid-back (thoracic), and neck (cervical). The cervical spine consists of the top seven vertebrae. This area of the spine is very flexible to allow for head rotation and visual perception. The thoracic spine is the 12 vertebrae up the mid back. This area gives us trunk rotation, keeps us upright in standing/sitting and allows for forward and backward bending. And now we come to the lumbar spine, which is where good posture actually begins. Try “slumping” your low back and curving your head forward and down, and feel what happens to your shoulders, neck and head. Avoiding this very common postural mistake can prevent injury and degenerative changes in the cervical spine, and even the shoulders. Most importantly you will feel better and move easier when you eliminate slumped posture. But how do we avoid it? Gently put your low back into proper alignment with its slight forward lumbar curve. Once you feel your spine “pull-up” from the small of your back, gently bring your shoulders back and your head up tall. Take a deep breathe and find your resting place in this position. This may take practice to feel normal or comfortable but keep at it, it will make a difference. As your shoulders settle back, think about your neck and head; it is very important that your head is in alignment over your spine. To help visualize this, think about a golf ball resting on a tee, this is like your head resting on your neck and shoulders. If your head is jutting forward, it is teetering off the tee, putting great stress on the muscles, ligaments, connective tissue and bones. Heads weigh approximately twelve pounds; think of hanging a ten pound bag of sugar from your neck…ouch!
A slumped, forward head posture will even change the alignment of the shoulders. It creates poor joint mechanics that can cause impingement and compression in the shoulder with reaching activities which can contribute to rotator cuff problems and tendonitis. At Healing Bridge we always incorporate posture correction and strengthening when treating shoulder problems because the two are not separate issues. The same can be said for upper back pain and headache pain. Poor postural alignment is almost always a contributing factor. Maintaining the neutral inward curve of the lumbar spine when sitting, standing, or working is the ideal posture. A low back cushion in the small of the back when sitting is the best way to support good posture. When the low back is supported or maintained in proper balanced posture the whole spine is supported in better alignment. We’ve all caught ourselves with heads jutting forward while
driving, reading, computing, crafting, cooking, etc. Now you know
what good posture feels like. That is the first step. Self-correcting
frequently is the next step. Posture correction isn’t hard,
it just takes practice. You can do it, and you’re worth it!
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