Term48

Posture

Aligning the Spine

“Stand up straight!? “Pull your shoulders back!? As children, we were told to have good posture. Yet we were seldom taught effective ways to accomplish this. Indeed, we were often not even told just what “good posture? is.
The consequences of this information gap can be seen all around us: stiff necks, shoulders hunched forward or pulled tightly back, restricted breathing, and tightness in the thighs, legs and ankles. Backaches, headaches, and other painful symptoms are often the unfortunate result.
Causes of poor posture
The causes of poor posture can be divided into two categories: positional and structural. Structural causes are basically permanent anatomical deformities not amenable to correction by conservative treatments. Positional causes of poor posture include.

How to Save Your Back

Always try to maintain the natural curves in your back.

These curves provide strength and support for your back. This is especially important when lifting or when sitting for long periods.

Hinge at your hips and bend your knees when lifting.

You should be doing most of the work with your legs rather than with your back! Placing your feet shoulder-width apart will help you stay balanced. A wider stance can also help if you have difficulty bending your knees.

Tighten your stomach muscles before you lift.

They help support and stabilize your back when you lift.

Ergo Rule Number One: Good Posture and Back Support

It may sound like a cliche, but remember what your parents told you: Don't slouch. "If you're slouching, that puts stress on your lower back, you overuse those muscles and then you become fatigued and have soreness and discomfort," says Charles Kopin, ergonomic specialist for Industrial Health Care in Waterbury, Conn.

Your head should be directly over your shoulders, back should be straight and resting against the chair back (ideally with support in the lower curve of the back, or lumbar), knees should be slightly higher than the hips, and feet should be able to rest on the floor.

"That (posture) gives the spine a tremendous amount of strength," says Scott Bautch, chiropractor in Wausau, Wisc. "It keeps the pressure on the bony part of the spine, which is meant to carry weight, and keeps it off the disc," which can only take pressure for short intervals, he says.

How "Core Stability" can protect your back

Modern life for most of us has meant a steady reduction in physical activity and an increasing sedentary lifestyle. This has been due to a decrease in manual labour, the increase in labour-saving devices and the rise of more passive entertainments such as computer games and television. Unfortunately this means that once strong muscle systems that helped us maintain good posture and movement while helping us avoid injury have grown weak through lack of use and exercise. In short we have reduced our "core stability".

What is "core stability"?

Core stability and sports

Core Stability Training

How to build a strong foundation

Core stability training is essential to sports performance and injury prevention. The body's core muscles are the foundation for all other movement. The muscles of the torso stabilize the spine and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities.

These core muscles lie deep within the torso. They generally attach to the spine, pelvis and muscles that support the scapula. When these muscles contract, we stabilize the the spine, pelvis and shoulders and create a solid base of support. We are then able to generate powerful movements of the extremities.

Maintain a Healthy Back

The muscles in the back are unlike many other muscles in your body they are almost always in use. They hold your torso in an upright position throughout your day. They assist you every time you pick something up, whether it's a pen or a concrete block. They support posture while you sit in your chair, and they even work at night when you sleep.

In order for you to understand what is good posture and what is bad posture let's take a look at how your back is designed:

Three Curves of Your Back: Your back is composed of three natural curves that form an S-shape. When your three natural curves are properly aligned, your ears, shoulders, and hips are in a straight line. Without support from strong, flexible muscles, your back loses its three natural curves. Poor posture can lead to pain and serious injury.