In my last post I discussed the importance of good posture and some of the physiological causes and signs of poor posture. Now I’d like to address ways to realign your spine into a healthy, “neutral” posture.
To align your spine, first do the following:
Stand with your back against a wall in your normal, relaxed posture. Bring your shoulders up by your ears and then drop them down, feeling your shoulder blades sliding down the wall. Slip your hand between your low back and the wall – it should slide in easily and touch or almost touch both your back and the wall at the same time. If there’s a lot of space between the wall and your low back, you may have a swayback. Make sure your earlobes are directly over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips for proper head/shoulder/pelvis alignment.
Now to correct your posture, imagine that a helium balloon is tied to the crown of your head, pulling you upwards; press your navel into your spine and tilt your hips back slightly so that the space between your low back and the wall is slightly reduced. Try maintaining this posture as you walk away from the wall. WARNING: STANDING WITH CORRECT POSTURE MAY FEEL STRANGE AT FIRST! IT MAY ALSO FATIGUE YOUR POSTURAL MUSCLES INITIALLY.
Improving Your Sitting Posture
Sitting for prolonged periods is one of the worst things you can do for your spine. But, since we all must sit, when you do so:
Keep your shoulders back and your head centered over them (ears over shoulders). Don’t recline against the backrest of your seat or lean forward.
When driving, place a small pillow or lumbar roll at your low back and don’t hunch over the steering wheel.
Be sure to get up, stretch and walk around at least once each hour. Place an alarm clock nearby to remind you.
In my last post I discussed the importance of good posture and some of the physiological causes and signs of poor posture. Now I’d like to address ways to realign your spine into a healthy, “neutral” posture.
To align your spine, first do the following:
Stand with your back against a wall in your normal, relaxed posture. Bring your shoulders up by your ears and then drop them down, feeling your shoulder blades sliding down the wall. Slip your hand between your low back and the wall – it should slide in easily and touch or almost touch both your back and the wall at the same time. If there’s a lot of space between the wall and your low back, you may have a swayback. Make sure your earlobes are directly over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips for proper head/shoulder/pelvis alignment.
Now to correct your posture, imagine that a helium balloon is tied to the crown of your head, pulling you upwards; press your navel into your spine and tilt your hips back slightly so that the space between your low back and the wall is slightly reduced. Try maintaining this posture as you walk away from the wall. WARNING: STANDING WITH CORRECT POSTURE MAY FEEL STRANGE AT FIRST! IT MAY ALSO FATIGUE YOUR POSTURAL MUSCLES INITIALLY.
Improving Your Sitting Posture
Sitting for prolonged periods is one of the worst things you can do for your spine. But, since we all must sit, when you do so:
Be Well (and sit up straight!),
Carolyn