Good Posture how important is it really???
Did you know, posture can affect many aspects of our life? It can even affect how we feel on a daily basis. Yes, even our mood. Just by improving our posture we can reap a world of benefits including: more confidence, increased energy, fewer back and shoulder issues, less neck tension & perhaps even less headaches. Aside from back pain, one of the most common complaints I hear from clients is about their constant headaches. Most blame allergies, some lack of sleep, but sometimes the headaches are stemming from something as simple as posture. Imagine if you could do one movement regimen a week and over time those nagging headaches vanished. Or your back was far less stiff in the morning. Would you do it? Is it worth it?
As we all know, we live in a very high tech driven world. Look around… I guarantee if you walk on any campus, at any mall, or in any public area the majority of people are walking around with their heads bent forward hacking away on a phone or tablet. At work we are responding to emails & glued to our computers for hours at a time. Certain professionals are bent over for long periods, or carrying heavy loads, which also can put them at higher risk for postural conditions.
This day and age almost all of us are at risk of forward head. So, how do we avoid poor posture? How do we correct these muscle imbalances?
The answer is thru movement.
- First, Recognize & Understand our very own posture and muscle imbalances (see image below)
- Second, get with an experienced trainer & establish a training program built on strengthening and stretching those precise muscle groups that need attention.
- Finally, stick with the routine. Gift yourself 20 minutes a day, heck 5-10 if that is all you have. Just pick a routine that works for your busy schedule and invest in yourself. I promise you, it’s worth it!
Now let’s recap and add some visuals…
There are many different forms of postural conditions. You may have heard them mentioned Forward head / Kyphosis / Flat back (Lordosis) and Sway back. In the image below you can see exactly what your spine is doing during each of the conditions. Do any of these look familiar?
Image from Institute of Sports & Remedial Massage
Some common causes of these postural conditions are:
- Altered Biomechanics
- Compression fractures
- muscular weakness
- degenerative diseases
- Everyday poor postural activities continued over a prolonged time
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- and so on…
A few issues that arise from poor posture:
- Pain
- Altered balance
- Decrease in Spinal mobility and function
- Compromised shoulder function and cervical spine issues
- Less energy
- Lower confidence
- and so on…
How Pilates & Movement can help Posture:
As a movement specialist we apply our understanding of anatomy and focus on exercises to increase your strength and flexibility, by engaging the proper muscles groups. Helping you establish a routine plan of strength and flexibility to promote muscle recovery and improve mind body awareness. We share this mind -body connection so it will follow you outside the studio into your everyday life. In turn over time increasing your quality of life.
If you are interested in discussing a movement regimen to establish healthy posture, or in receiving a Postural analysis please feel free to contact me.