Good posture is important for good health, appearance, and a sense of well-being. Poor posture can cause impaired functioning of the lungs, heart, stomach, and intestines, and back, shoulder, hand, hip, and knee pain. All consequences of poor posture worsen with age and can cause permanent damage to joints and organs. Although some consequences of poor posture can be corrected, it is better and easier to prevent such outcomes.
People usually think that good posture results from just remembering to stand straight and not slouch, but that is not an effective approach. More important factors are:
Let’s look at these points separately.
Muscle tone and strength
Two areas must be sufficiently toned for good posture: the abdominal muscles, especially the very lowest segment, and the back, also mainly the lowest part.
Good seated posture is most easily created by leaning forward in your seat, arching up, then slightly tightening the lowest abdominal muscles directly above the pubic bones – the upper body will then almost float into correct alignment – a lovely feeling. Keeping those lowest muscles slightly tightened makes maintaining that alignment almost automatic and painless. So instead of struggling to keep your whole upper body straight, just focus on keeping the lowest abdominal muscles a bit tight and let the rest of your body line up.
To easily strengthen the lowest abdominal muscles, lie on your back on your bed or the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Keep your legs together, slowly raise them two or three INCHES from the surface and hold them there, if you can, for a count of four, then slowly lower them. Lifting your legs higher makes this a different exercise, a good one but not necessarily as beneficial for the lowest abdominal muscles.
A modified sit-up does wonders for upper abdominal muscles. Still lying on your back, put your hands behind your head and slowly raise your head and upper torso two or three inches from the surface, hold for a count of four (or less if this causes strain), then slowly lower. A more advanced version of this exercise is to sit on the edge of a chair or backless bench, then slowly raise and lower your torso; you may need to hold onto the arms of the chair at first. The amount of muscular effort required can be limited by doing a modified sit-up in a chair; even this smaller effort can be powerful medicine for flabby muscles.
For almost any exercise, especially abdominal, back or neck exercises, if they are hard to do, only do them once the first time; skip the next day, then try for two repetitions on the third day, then three on the fifth day, etc. If the first one is easy, then you can hold for longer, go up and down more slowly, or do a few more reps; but DO NOT increase all of these measures at the same time. The harder the exercise is, the more it proves how much you need it, but also how careful you need to be doing it, especially at the beginning. Ultimately, 20 repetitions might be a good goal but you should build toward that gradually; more than this may not be good because of the possibility of over-straining the back or creating damage. Exercise routines and improvements should not be over-done or hurried. Be happy with where you are and keep working for better.
Having the Right Approach
People often try to improve their posture by pulling up their shoulders, but this is not a good method because:
1) the shoulders should be down and back rather than up and forward,
2) holding shoulders up and forward creates unnecessary tension, interferes with balance, and ultimately causes more pain,
3) when the shoulders drop, the shoulder blades can relax and tension throughout the body is reduced,
4) tightening abdominal muscles is simpler and safer to do, encourages body awareness, and encourages other positive health actions.
Good sitting posture is made easiest by pushing your bottom tight against the back of the chair, leaning forward from the hip hinge, then slowly curling up straight with a nicely arched back and the tiny tension in the lowest abdominal muscles.
Good standing posture is easiest with the abdominal tension higher up, just below your ribs. This makes holding up the rib cage, shoulders, and head require the least energy even though they are the heaviest parts of the body, and encourages keeping the shoulders back and down and the body vertically aligned without tipping to either side or twisting.
Going too fast with any exercise can lead to injuries and being unable to exercise at all for some period. Our bodies become more sensitive and vulnerable with age so all movements need to be made carefully while paying close attention to what your body is telling you. “No pain, no gain” is wrong – exercise should never hurt. Take movements close to where they might hurt but STOP before you get there. Never push an exercise to its farthest extent until you have built a pathway to get there without injury.
Flexibility
Physical flexibility matters because tight muscles cause unnecessary pain, injuries, and increased temptation to slouch or go out of alignment to ease distress. Back and hand pain is common for people who spend a lot of time at a computers, especially for those who use laptops or other small keyboards or devices that encourage hunching over. Loosening the muscles that hold the shoulder blades tight can reduce or prevent the radiating pain to the upper back, shoulders, and hands.
Physical therapists taught me the effective exercises below to resolve shoulder blade tightness:
- arm rotation - hold your arms close against your body, bend your forearms to level with your waist, and rotate your arms outwards without letting your elbows move away from your body.
- elbow swing - hold your bent arms against your sides and slowly move them backwards a comfortable distance.
- open book - hold your arms straight out from your sides; move your right arm across your body to the opposite arm, then slowly drag your arm back to straight out from your side. Do the same with your left arm.
Pay attention to your shoulders while doing these exercises. Unlike other exercises, these can and probably should be done every day, especially if you type every day, as long as you do not push them to extremes. Slow is better than fast for these exercises. Do not force to moving farther than is comfortable (this is a good general principle for any exercise).
On the days when you don’t exercise an area, GENTLE but regular stretching can help tissues stay supple and not form hardened knots. GENTLE, consistent massage and moderate use of heat and/or cold can soothe tissues required for good posture and can be used every day as long as they do not cause problems.
Environmental cues and awareness
Reminders notices can help improve posture. I put post-its on my computer, signs for various moves near where they need to be done (such as by the sink where a whole series of moves are possible while washing dishes or brushing teeth), and a to-do list of exercises planned for the day on my calendar. All this effort works.
Other reminders that help build better posture are alerts on your phone or computer, or a timer to remind you to check how you are sitting or standing or to move around every so often. A physical therapist once worked my shoulder blades loose, then taped them open to keep me from letting them freeze up again; this made for a pretty miserable weekend but the exercises described above can prevent ever needing anything like that. Doing whatever is needed to keep your shoulders loose is definitely better.
An ergonomic set-up for devices can prevent some posture problems and their consequences. Computer monitors should be positioned so that the center of the screen is level with your eyes to prevent eye strain or neck injury. Keyboards should allow your arms to rest at a right angle with your body without straining forward. Your hands should be flat without needing to bend. Your chair should allow your legs to be at a right angle to your body and your feet flat on the floor or foot rest.
Ergonomics isn’t only about computers but applies to every device and task. Arranging our homes and offices to make good posture easy can improve health and even efficiency. Setting up your TV viewing area and other regular activities to encourage good posture can also help prevent pain and damage.
Resources
Fixing upper back and shoulder problems isn’t just a matter of exercise or stretching. Heat and cold packs can reduce soreness and support flexibility. Alternating heat and cold packs reaches both superficial and deeper muscle tissue layers to encourage healing and reduce pain.
Massage tools, both electric and manual, are invaluable. Experimenting with different types will aid finding what works for you. Here are the tools I have found most helpful:
All these tools are easily available online and in many health-food and body care stores. Prices vary quite a bit so comparisons are useful. Keeping a variety of tools on hand can prepare for different needs.
Of course, sitting correctly matters too. Slumping, slouching, or letting your body be crooked makes good alignment impossible. So you need an intention to have good posture and to rule out positions that prevent it.
It is always good to question where any activity may lead. Slouching, allowing shoulders to hunch or lock up, or muscles to turn to flab all have consequences that worsen over time. Start a healthier life by putting in place the easiest measures first and gradually build on that foundation to create a pain-free body and future.
Previous | Next
© Gloria Valoris, 2015
Home | Newsletters and Articles | Services | Workshops | Resources | Contact
Office Organization | Time Management | File Systems | Hoarding