26 Mar Posture, the Key to Remaining Pain Free
Posture is the place from which movement begins and ends. Good posture means better quality movement, which in turn leads to less wear and tear on joints and therefore less pain. As we adopt a particular postural habit such as sitting slouched with our head forward looking at a computer screen, over time (months/years) our body tends to “harden” into that posture. When we then stand – guess what – we end up doing so with a slouch and forward head. Our bodies function best in good posture, so developing good postural habits can improve the quality of our lives by reducing muscle and joint pain.
Try this: pull a finger back as far as it will go and hold it there for a while. Notice how the area where you finger joins your hand is becoming sore – the longer you hold it there the more it hurts. As soon as you let it go and the finger returns to a more neutral position the pain goes away completely! There is no damage to the tissue. This is postural pain. This happens all the time in backs and necks. If a poor postural position is held frequently and for long periods of time tissue damage may occur and the area wears out. For example discs and facet joints.
it will take conscious thought and effort to change poor posture, but change it you can
Your posture can say things about you before you have even said a word.
- Leaning back is lazy or arrogant
- Leaning forward is aggressive
- Slouching is just lazy
Instead, aim for a neutral position, sitting tall as if a string were connecting your head to the ceiling.
Are you thinking a little more about your posture now? Remember your postural habit may have taken years to develop therefore it will take time, effort and particularly thought to change it!
If you sit at a computer – set a timer to beep every 10 minutes – ‘a posture reminder’
If you are walking through a shop and catch sight of yourself in a mirror or window ‘check out your look’
Poor posture is a bad habit; it will take conscious thought and effort to change it, but change it you can!
Further Reading
Sarah Key’s book gives an excellent overview of how joints work, how they can be damaged by poor postural habits and gives exercises to help fix the problem. And unlike many technical books, it’s a good read.
Further Action
Want to know about your posture? Our Posture Assessment session checks how you stand and identifies poor postural habits. We then prepare a program of exercises and stretches to help you correct things.
Keep Me Posted
If you have enjoyed reading this article, then why not sign up to receive new articles as they are released?Just let us know which subjects you are interested in, and we'll send you the details hot from the press.
Click Here for More Articles