| Your Mother Was Right; Good Posture Counts |  |
Most of us don't connect poor posture with poor health. But
think about it, when you're sick or in pain, how do you hold
yourself? Head up, chest out, shoulders back? More likely
your shoulders are slumped forward, back is rounded, tail
bone is tucked between your legs like an injured animal. It's
the body's natural response to pain and illness. The problem
is that sustaining this defensive stance for any length of time
may make it harder for your body to heal.
You're probably not surprised when your foot goes to sleep
after you've been sitting for an hour with it tucked underneath
you. You're not shocked when you try a new activity and end
up the next day with sore muscles. Why then is it so hard to
imagine that sitting slouched over a desk for eight hours might
make your back hurt? Or that lying on your back in bed with your
head propped up trying to read might contribute to that stiff neck?
In all instances nerve and blood supply is affected; muscles are
being over stressed.
You can't see it, you can't feel it, yet gravity is one of the most
destructive forces on earth. Twenty four hours a day gravity is
bearing down on you. By the time we die, most of us are several
inches shorter. Take your spine for example. When you are lying
flat on your back there are 24 pounds of pressure exerted on the
spine. Standing erect the pressure increases to 100 pounds.
Sitting bent forward in the slouched position causes almost
twice the amount of pressure, 190 pounds, brought to bear on
the spine. Over the years, the cushions between the vertebrae
called the discs actually wear down causing pressure on nerves
and, more seriously, on the spinal cord itself.
Between each pair of vertebrae are two small openings through
which the left and right spinal nerves exit. Among other things,
these nerves empower the muscles and give sensation to the
skin. It is through the spinal nerves that you can move and can
feel temperature, pressure and pain.
When each vertebra is lined up properly, for that matter, when
every set of bones in every joint of your body are lined up
properly, then your body is in harmony with gravity, and is
functioning the way it was designed to.
In a recent study at Duke University, researchers found that just
three degrees of malalignment of the knee joint can lead to
serious cartilage damage. It more than doubled the pressures
on the middle of the knee joint and increased peak contact
pressures by 68 percent. Such uneven pressure within the joint
can cause uneven wear and tear, leading to painful and
potentially debilitating osteoarthritis.
Yes, good posture is vitally important. But what does it look like?
And how do you get it? If you were to drop a plumb line from the
ceiling along the gravity axis, it should bisect you perfectly. Turn
sideways and ask someone to look at your posture. Ideally your
ear should line up with your shoulder bone which lines up with
your hip bone which lines up with your ankle bone. From the front
view, your head should be straight, not tilted or turned to one
side. Shoulders should be even and hips even.
What? You're not perfect? Don't worry, no one is. However,
working toward perfect posture will help you feel better in the
long run.
Notice where your head is in relation to the rest of you. It's
position is best predictor of posture imbalance. Heads weigh
in at about 10-12 pounds--the weight of an average bowling ball.
To use the bowling analogy, when you get ready to bowl, you
hold the ball in front of your chest with both hands. The ball
doesn't feel too heavy because the bones of your forearms
support it. However, when you begin your approach, you
have to use your muscles--your biceps and triceps--to hold
and swing the ball. Now you can feel its full 12 pounds. When
your head is supported by the bones of your spine, all is well.
When it's held up by your muscles, most likely the trapezius in
particular, you're causing stress. Holding your head just one inch
forward of that plumb line I spoke of puts 30 pounds more
pressure on the back of your neck.You're asking those muscles
to do morethan they're supposed to. Over time those
over-stressed muscles get sore. Over time the pressure on the
cervical nerves can make your hands go to sleep, just like your
foot does when you sit on it.
Here's how to start reacquainting your body with alignment. To
stand and walk correctly, begin by making sure your toes point
forward, not out and not inward. Next, lengthen the space
between your navel and your collar bone by lifting your breast
bone up toward the ceiling. This action lets your head naturally
come back on top of your spine and gives you a natural curve in
your lower back.Keep your chin parallel with the floor, not tipped
up. When you walk always put your heel down first, and imagine
leading with your heart not your head.
To sit correctly, start by placing your feet flat on the floor. Your
thighs should be parallel to the floor and your knees and hips on
the same level. Your weight should be over your pelvic bones,
sometimes called sit-bones. When your feet, legs and pelvis are
positioned correctly, lift that breast bone again so as to position
your head and shoulders correctly. You should have a pillow to
support your lower back only. Don't lean back. Leaning back
stresses your neck and all the muscles of your back. If you must
recline, use a reclining chair with proper support for your lower
back and neck. That way you remain in alignment
when resting. Don't try to work or read in a reclining position.
Good posture is just one of the tools of a healthier life. Add it to
exercise, nutrition, emotional honesty, meditation, and prayer.
Find your balance in body, mind and spirit.
_______________
Copyright (c) 2002. Pamela Adams D.C.
Holistic Health Coach and ergononics expert Dr. Pamela Adams
is author of "Dr. Adams' Painless Guide to Computing; How to
Use Your Computer Without Hurting Yourself." For the book and
your complimentary Self Health Newsletter, visit
http://www.painlessguides.com/computing.html
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