The Essential 4 Series: Various Methods for Posture Health

UPDATE 1/18/08 - After putting up this blog, I finally found some more information. Time restraints were the main cause for the delay. Updates to this blog will be put in a link format so that you can go directly to the site for the reference.

In previous posts, I would talk about my shoulder and the various pains I would have. When my shoulder acts up while I'm at work, I do a spinal twist on both sides for about 5 breaths, double check my posture and I'm good to go. My shoulder rarely acts up at home since I am always in a comfortable position - "comfortable" in that I am always keeping my posture in mind.

Keeping your posture in mind is the first and most important step in achieving and maintaining posture health. The fact that you're reading this post puts you on the good foot (so to speak ;) LOL) towards having good posture.

Although there are many ways to get "good" posture, the first and free lesson is to listen to what you mom or your 2nd grade teacher used to say and apply that to everything you do that involves proper posture (which includes walking, standing, bending/lifting, sitting and even sleeping):

stand straight, shoulders back, chest slightly out, head upright

Another free lesson in posture can also come from your HS gym teacher or your personal trainer:

keep knees slightly bent, tuck your tailbone under (or pull in your abs to get the tailbone in proper alignment)

Sounds easy doesn't it? Sure it does! But if it were as easy as it seems, everyone would probably have great posture and I wouldn't have to do all this typing in my blog about it. :P Since that is not that case, I will happily show you the many options to help you achieve proper alignment so that you can maintain health. I cannot make the choice for you, in regards to what method you use, but my goal is to guide you in understanding these methods so YOU can make the best choice (do right for yourself!)

Before I begin, I also want to let you know that this is a lot of information to take in. Some methods you maybe very familiar with and other methods you probably never heard of until today. I have not personally partaken in all of these methods. That's ok. I guarantee that the methods I have not done before are especially created and proven in attaining proper posture. The methods that I am familiar with will be noted within and spoken about in great detail. Basically, it may take more than one post to get all of this information to you.

THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE

The Alexander Technique has always seemed shrouded in mystery to me. There are rarely any group classes when dealing with this method. Since it's mostly private instruction, it was hard for me to find someone who has done this already (I still haven't found them as yet, but I guarantee you that as soon as this is posted, I'll find a whole lot of people who have benefited from this technique. :P)

In doing research, I have found out a number of things about the Alexander Technique:

1. This method has been around for over 100 years.
2. Using this method enables its students to put ergonomic principles into practice, and thus helps them reduce their risk of developing a repetitive strain injury.
3. Teachers of the Alexander Technique avoid the word 'posture.' 'Use' is something different; it implies movement over time, a pattern of coordination, whereas posture connotes a static, fixed position. (F.M. Alexander 1932).
4. Alexander emphasized learning how to change one's thinking in order to re-direct posture and movement patterns.

People who follow use the Alexander Technique "learn to identify and change poor and inefficient habits which maybe causing stress, fatigue or performance limitation." The teacher analyzes the student's movement patterns in daily life. As the teacher guides with a gentle touch and verbal instruction, the student learns to replace faulty habits with improved coordination by locating and releasing undue muscular tensions.

If you would like more information, please go to www.alexandertechnique.com or click on any of the links so you will be redirected to the corresponding page. www.acatnyc.org is also a great site for information on the Alexander Technique. The American Center for the Alexander Technique is on 39 W 14th St., Suite 507 in NYC. They have free hands-on demonstrations. I'm going to do my level best to make it to one of them this year. It's usually the first Monday of the Month, from 7pm - 8:30pm. Click here for the free hands on demonstrations for this year. Next blog post will talk about the Feldenkrais Method and Pilates. Don't worry...I got a good amount of information on these two so you don't have to wait as long. ;)

You remember my beautiful mantra right? Well, just in case you forgot here it is again:
stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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The Essential 4 Series: Various Methods for Good Posture III

Well hello everyone!

Happy New Year! Happy New YOU!


I know I've been away for a while. My grandma is still going strong and this is the 4th day in 2008 that I am enjoying being 33. Now that I'm getting back into the swing of things, I got a lot to do (don't I always! hehe). One thing that has been stuck in my mind for the longest time was updating this blog. I thank you for being so patient with me and I hope that we can both help each other achieve and maintain health.

Continuing from where we left off in our posture series, I want to give you some tips and explain certain things before going into how Pilates and Yoga benefit your posture.

When it comes to posture, awareness is key. You always have to be aware of what your body is doing in order to be able to properly ensure you have the best posture you can have. You have to be aware of your walking posture, your sitting posture and your standing posture. Of course, your standing posture will be the easiest thing to work on. However, if you have your wolking and sitting posture in good condition, then you are a step ahead when it comes to maintaining that good posture.

One thing you can do to make sure you have good posture (sitting and walking) is to try not to cross your ankles when you sit down. This is critical if you have a job where you sit for long periods of time. When you cross your ankles for long periods of time, you are actually cutting off circulation. Capillaries are very small and a lot of capillary blockage will affect overall circulation. It's like if you sleep on your arm too long...it gets numb. You have to shake it out plenty times in order to get the feeling back. Now your feet may not feel numb when you cross your ankles for long periods of time but when you get up to walk again, you have to "wake up" your feet in the same way. Doing this while walking definitely doesn't sound too great, especially if you're a woman who also wears heels. All of these small things can add up in a huge way, leading to all kinds of foot, leg, and hip issues. Posture is the key making sure you have some kind of protection when you walk, sit, or stand. Even with heels on! :)


Now let's get to the nitty gritty, shall we?


PILATES

Joseph Pilates started this form of exercise in the 1920's (He brought "Pilates" to America in 1926). Very debilitated as a youth, he devised this system to help him become healthy and fit. His system of exercises were mainly to correct posture as well as mobility limitations and this system has spread worldwide. It's uncanny how similar Pilates and FM Alexander (the Alexander Technique) are, in regards to their life stories and how they came to develop their systems. Even though the path to great posture differs between the two systems, they both were inspired by the movements of animals and have the same views on how the mind-body connection is important to ensure good posture and overall health.

When people think of Pilates as an exercise, they automatically think of a whole lot of ab work. What most people do not realize, is that your abdomen is the very thing that enables your back to be well supported and your spine protected. When your abdominals are strengthened (and not just by crunches, as I will explain later), your lower back is strengthened. When your stomach can be pulled in, it's easier for you to tuck in your tailbone so that your spine has good support. A good, strong, and supported spine always contributes to great posture! According to Pilates, the abdominal region should be the "base of operations", especially when it comes to stability and control of your other body parts.

There are contraindications (something (as a symptom or condition) that makes a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable - you will hear this word a lot in the Fitness world...especially Yoga) to doing Pilates. Among them are:

• pregnant women
• people aged forty years or more (except if you're very healthy)
• people with preexisting medical conditions such as heart disease
• people with preexisting musculoskeletal injuries or disorders (which means that if you have sprain or torn muscles or muscle problems that are in direct correlation to your bones)
• anyone who has not exercised for a long time
• those who are very overweight

Being overweight is a relative term. How much is too much to do pilates? I usually advise women and men that are 25 - 30lbs. overweight NOT to do Pilates. Even if you are less than that but you have a lot of belly fat (not caused by bloating), you should hold off from doing Pilates. Pilates exercises are strenuous and very difficult for the average beginner. It can take a lot out of you.

There are many ways to do Pilates. You have these elaborate machines or you can do it on a mat or even on a balancing ball. I have never tried the machines and I never took a Pilates class (yet). I do, however, Pilates on the balancing ball. I bought a book by Ellie Herman and I use it whenever I want to see my 6 pack. Three days on the ball, doing the most basic exercises, and I get my 6 pack back! Now, just because I say that this works for me, it doesn't mean that it's going to work for you! I had go through losing 40lbs (yeah, you heard right...we'll get to that another time :D) before even thinking of doing Pilates on the balancing ball. There is so much that I had to understand about my body and apply that to maintain my fitness levels before doing anything with Pilates.

Pilates can be very tough...even for the seasoned fitness person. However, once you start and stick with it, it is an invaluable tool to make your body strong, flexible and fortified with good posture.

YOGA

Let me be the first to tell you that I know a great deal about Yoga. I have been doing it for over 7 years and I am on my way to becoming a Yoga Teacher. I can write millions of blogs on Yoga but I will keep it short and sweet and within the context of Achieving and Maintaining Good Posture.

Yoga has been around for over 5000 years. There are many branches of Yoga, not just asana (poses, which is the physical aspect of Yoga). There are many different types of Hatha Yoga (in the Eastern part of the world, Hatha Yoga is the branch of Yoga that is "a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation." In the West, it is one of the many types of Yoga that is available to all) but there is one that is very serious about Posture (or Alignment, as they like to call it). That is Iyengar Yoga.

BKS Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga, is still alive today (he's 85 years young). He has written many books on Yoga and the reason why his Yoga is so essential to Posture and Alignment is because he feels that without proper alignment, you cannot function properly. This style of Yoga uses many props to perform asanas, to ensure you do all asanas with precision so you can achieve a state of "perfection".

This does not mean that this is the only style of Yoga that will greatly benefit your posture. All styles of Yoga will help you to attain and maintain better posture because for the most part, they all use the same basic Asanas that were created thousands of years ago. The only differences maybe the sequence of the asanas as well as variations to the Asanas themselves. New asanas are created all the time by modern day Yogis and Gurus. A good amount asanas have contraindications, but it depends on the particular asana (as opposed to Pilates, which has contraindications on the system as a whole).

One example of an asana that is guaranteed to help you with your posture is called Mountain Pose (Tada-asana is the Sanskrit name for this pose). Here is a picture of the Mountain Pose:

Now looking at this, you think "this is easy! I can do this!!" LOL oh no, not so!! It's much harder to do than it looks. There are a lot of technicalities that come with this pose. For instance, your big toes and heels need to touch each other. At the same time, your other toes should be spread out so that you have good support on the ground. Then your stomach should be tightened or firm so that you can feel the tailbone tucking in. There are other things to remember while doing this pose and trust me, if your posture isn't the greatest, this pose can feel mighty uncomfortable. I think this passage sums it up the best:


The proper execution and continual practice of the tada-asana along with other postures helps to re-train the body to stand correctly and reverse the negative effects of poor posture.
When the tad-asana is performed properly and the mind is focused and free of distraction, the body is experienced as being rooted firmly to the earth and as steady and motionless as a mountain.

I mentioned before that doing crunches is not enough to support your lower back and and protect your spine (from disk problems such as herniation). That's because crunches only work on one set of muscles in your abdominals. The abdominals are actually comprised of four paired muscles. Crunches work on the rectus abdominus, the set of muscles that give you that "six pack." Even though your stomach looks nice with a six pack, the rectus abdominus has nothing to do with supporting and stabilizing your spine.
"...The most important abdominal muscles for postural integrity are the obliques." according to the latest Yoga + Joyful Living Magazine (pg. 74) That is why Pilates is so beneficial for good spine health and good posture. Even though most Yoga postures don't emphasize exercising the abs exclusively, "there are asanas that work the full set of your abdominals to stabilize and support your lumbar spine, thus preventing disk problems and other forms of back pain." (page 73) Other asanas stabilize and support other parts of your spine as well and the joints that are connected to them directly and indirectly, like your shoulder, neck, knees and hips.

The great thing about Yoga is that anyone can do it. If you have physical ailments, you can do gentle Yoga and you will still benefit. Disabled people can benefit from Yoga as well as Yoga Therapy (a growing science that I'm very interested in). Any ailment that you may have, including Cancer and other possible life threatening illnesses, can be treated with Yoga. Find a great teacher and a style that fits you and health abounds in many ways.

I hope you enjoyed this blog...I know it's been a long time coming. I'm going to let you know a little something that I didn't mention before. The Key to Yoga and Pilates is NOT the physical exercises. The key to these amazing systems is THE BREATH. Without proper breathing, Pilates and Yoga are just stretches. Breathing makes Yoga beneficial to the whole body, in many ways. Proper breathing functions when doing Pilates ensures that flexibility, strength, control and good posture are yours for the taking.

Wasn't this a great segue into the next part of the Essential 4 Series, the Breath? ;) In my next blog, I'll explain the benefits of breathing properly as well as go into more detail why breathing and good posture are such good friends.

Until then...
stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease! (gosh I miss telling you guys that!)

References - Discover Pilates, TopHat Publishing (written by Michael Mann), Yoga + Joyful Living Magazine Jan/Feb 2008 Issue 99 (pgs. 73 -5), websters.com, www.pilatesandalexander.com, click on underlined text for other online references. Picture provided by www.santosha.com/asanas.

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The Essential 4 Series: Various Methods for Good Posture II

In my last post, I said that I will talk to you about the Feldenkrais Method and Pilates next. There is a slight change in plan. This post, I will talk about the Feldenkrais Method and Chiropractic Medicine.
Before I get on with "the show," I want to say a couple of things:
1. I have many plans for you (my readers, my friends, my family, my fellow humans). I have many plans for me. I foresee us creating a plan together one day. In the meantime, this is like a "practice for my practice."
2. Even though my blog is very personal, the time will come when I have to get more serious. That time will be soon. I will let you know when this change starts. I would love to be able to balance being personal and being more professional but it seems like that cannot happen if and when I'm ready to take on clients.

Aren't we glad that hasn't started yet? I sure am!! I think when I share a part of myself to you, it makes what you're reading easier to take in. It creates a connection. And no matter how professional one maybe, if there is no connection, especially when dealing with something personal like health (it is personal in the sense that it varies, depending on the individual).

OK OK...enough with the sap happy talk...let's do this! :D

THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD

While the Alexander Technique teaches you to improve your posture in a seemingly mysterious way, The Feldenkrais Method seems similar in principle but differs in technique. The Feldenkrais Method retrains your nervous system so that your brain functions improve as well as posture, flexibility, movement and self-image. This method is very integrated with science (more specifically, neuroscience, psychology, and movement science) and is also a fantastic alternative to conventional physical therapy. Practioners of this Method not only claim that anyone of any age can benefit from this physically but it will also relieve "...emotional and physical habit patterns" as well as promoting "profound psychological and emotional growth."

The Feldenkrais Method does this in two ways: Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration.
Awareness Through Movement are a series of exercises that are guided verbally, which address "every area, joint and muscle group in the body, and all aspects of human functioning." These exercises "engages the intelligence of our nervous system to create the conditions for successful learning."
Functional Integration is a more hands on approach. "Change and Improvement are achieved through the use of highly skilled direction and manipulation." It is this approach that is extremely beneficial for people with orthopedic and neurological problems, chronic tension and pain, and motor development problems in children.

Well, this sure sounds fantastic! I'm sure if I knew about this when I had my car accident and used this method instead of traditional Physical Therapy, I would have been healthier a lot sooner!

From what I have read and seen, I think this method is very fascinating. I like the fact that it works so well with children and they can help you regardless of age and regardless of the physical ailment. I have never tried this method of healing but I plan to. If you're in the New York Area and you're interested to learn more about the Feldenkrais Method, The Feldenkrais Institute of New York is located on 134 West 26th St., on the 2nd Fl. They have individual classes as well as group classes and workshops. What's really good is that the first class is FREE. For more information, please visit www.feldenkraisinstitute.com If you would like to check out if there is a Feldenkrais Practitioner in your area, do a search in Google for "Feldenkrais Practitioner in xyz (your area)."

CHIROPRACTIC MEDICINE

In past posts about posture, I spoke about my shoulder. I found out about the full extent of my shoulder issues at my job. The building would have different things going on from time to time. On this day, they had the local chiropractor setup a couple of tables where you could get a free massage and use a machine to give you a very basic analysis of your posture. Now, I love FREE...it's one of the best words ever created. Plus, my shoulder was aching me for a while...I figured, "what the hay? It can't hurt." So I got the massage first...it was very nice and the guy went straight for my shoulder...I didn't even have to say anything. Then was the assessment with the doo hickey. So the chiropractor attached the doohickeythingamabobbin to me and realized that my shoulder was not the best. He asked that I come in to do a full analysis.

I went in and he ran a series of tests on me. When I got the results, I was floored, to say the least. My neck problems affected my shoulder. I didn't stand up straight at all (I kinda leaned to one side) and my head was about 4 degrees away from where it was supposed to be. Even my lower back was slightly affected.

Almost immediately, I started coming into my chiropractor's office...twice a week, on a 6 month plan. I got my full hour massage (pretty good but not necessary). Then I got my detailed plan on how we were going to fix this. My chiropractor was the one that explained to me that certain nerves in your spine correspond to a part of the body (and it's various afflictions). He gave me various stretches and different tips to help me out. He would also give me adjustments.

Before I go any further, I have to tell you something...when I first went for my adjustment, I asked the doctor sarcastically, "so....you're going to crack my back?" My chiropractor responded very quickly and curtly, "we do not crack anyone's back...that is a misnomer. Actually what we do is adjust the spine so that nitrogen gas releases from the vertebrae, releving tension in the nerves/disks. What you hear is not a 'crack' but a "pop" and sometimes when you adjust, you affect many disks and nerves so it might sound like a cracking noise." On any other day, I would have taken offense to how he said that to me, but I didn't. I figured it was his pet peeve to always hear that so I apologized and told him that I had no idea. He explained to me (with a smile) that a lot of people have that misunderstanding and it actually gives a slightly bad name to chiropractors...thinking about it, he was right. Anything with a "crack" in it (well except for your buttcrack - LOL) seems painful. I know a lot of people who don't want to see a chiropractor because they don't want to get hurt. They think that cracks lead to breaks...and a broken anything in your body is not a good thing. If you have this train of thought, get it out of your mind. Chiropractic Medicine is great for fixing your spine as well as the rest of your body, indirectly.

Chiropractic Medicine is truly Holistic...no surgery nor drugs are used to heal your spine (structure)/nervous system (function...you'll hear these terms a lot from chiropractors). A lot of Chiropractors often give nutritional and exercise advice for an added benefit. Although you will probably see a chiropractor for physical reasons, most find that a lot of emotional issues are also managed when their spines are in proper alignment (due improvements to the nervous system). Chiropractic Medicine is rehabilitative and preventative, which means that even if you don't have any serious issues, you can use Chiropractic to maintain the spinal health that you do have. The best thing about Chiropractic Medicine is that, unlike the Alexander Technique and the Feldenkrais Method, Chiropractic Medicine can be paid for by your insurance carrier.

Unfortunately, my insurance carrier did not cover my former Chiropractor. However, what he has taught me in the short amount of time spent with him has been incredible. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have the decent posture I have today...even though Chiropractic Medicine doesn't aid me in maintaining my posture now (we'll get to what does in the next post), I would always recommend Chiropractic Medicine to anyone who has neck, shoulder, back, and leg issues.

There are many great Chiropractors in the New York Area. However, I'm only going to recommend one: my old Chiropractor, Dr. Gregory Shure. He really is a great Chiropractor who listens to you and can effectively communicate why things will (or will not) work for you. The environment in his office is very comfortable and relaxed and his staff is very professional and nice. Click on this link for more information on Dr. Shure and how Chiropractic Medicine works: http://www.madisonsquarechiropractic.com/

That's it for now. Next post, I'll discuss 2 of my favorite methods of attaining and maintaining great posture: Pilates and Yoga. A lot will be covered but since I'm so familiar with these methods they should be quick and easy (unless time is not on my side). If you have any questions about Chiropractic Medicine, click on the link and give Dr. Shure a call. If you have any comments or want to share your Chiropractic experience, please do so by writing a comment.

Until next time,
stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease! :D

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The Essential 4 Series: Bad Posture can be a Headache

In my last post, I spoke about my shoulder being in pain. It's fine for right now so I wanted to explain to you how I got into this whole shoulder mess in the first place:

Memorial Day 1999 (well the week after LOL) - I got hit by a construction truck (if I tell you how, I'll be too upset to finish this post). I started to get physical therapy on my neck (my C3/4 are damaged and I had no curve in my neck anymore...I'll explain what C3 and C4 refer to in a minute), my knee and my jaw. This was the catalyst for my shoulder problems.

While in therapy, I had really bad headaches. Back injuries from running track in HS began to hurt again, this time, the pain was worse (I sprained the muscles in my back Junior year of HS). I asked my chiropractor at the time why I was getting such crazy headaches (the TMJ treatments didn't help...for those who don't know, TMJ = TemporoMandibular Joint (jaw joint)). My chiropractor looked at me and told me to stand up. I did so. She then took me to a mirror and asked me what I saw. I told her I saw Quasimodo with a humongous backside! LOL Of course she chuckled, but told me that I'm half right - my posture (or lack thereof) is causing my headaches.

Before I go further into headaches and posture, I want you to understand a couple of basic things about your posture and what "makes or breaks" good postures - your spine aka the backbone.

Here is a picture of your spine:There are 24 vertebrae in the spine, which are broken up into 3 parts: cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (middle back), and lumbar spine (lower back).

 UPDATE:  The spine is actually composed of 33 vertebrae, arranged in four curves. The fourth curve is the sacral/coccygeal curve, consisting of 5 sacral vertebrae and 4 coccygeal vertebrae. The sacral and coccygeal vertebrae are fused together. The fused coccygeal vertebrae, called the coccyx, moves on the sacrum above. The other 24 vertebrae are considered movable and that is why they are usually mentioned without the sacral/coccygeal vertebrae.

Inside the vertebral column, is the spinal cord, which is made up of nerves that connects to the brain (part of the central nervous system). Each vertebrae is also separated by a disk, which forms joints that allow the spine (and you) to move in various ways. Earlier, I spoke of how my C3 and C4 are damaged from my accident. If you look at the chart, you will notice that the C3 and the C4 deals with the parts of the neck that bends and gives that "natural curve". What you may not realize is that every vertebrae has a specific function for the body and certain ailments can correspond to a part of your spine that is either compressed (the disks), doesn't have enough fluid, is surrounded by weak ligaments/muscles so there is no real foundation for the spine, or has damaged nerves.

For me, the damage to my neck causes compression in my cervical spine against my shoulders (hence, my present shoulder pain). Please don't think that actual bones have been broken or anything (I don't think I would be alive with a broken neck LOL) but the muscles and ligaments surrounding my C3 and C4 are weak so that affects my cervical spine. :)

Most people have a better understanding of what I'm saying if I mention the term "whiplash" (since most neck injuries come from car accidents and the like)...not only can it give someone who has it a lot of money but it can cause a slew of future issues with your spine. That is why doctors take it so seriously (and why you can hit the jackpot if you have it).

A lot of people who may not have neck issues will probably have lower back issues, since most spinal damage is to the neck or back. Pain in these areas are usually cause when the root of the nerve is compressed or damaged. Sciatica is pain caused by general compression and/or irritation of one of five nerve roots that are branches of the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and runs through the backside and down you leg. So in comparison to my present situation, when I have pain in my neck or in my shoulder, it's because the muscles/ligaments are weak in certain parts of my spine (C3 and C4), which in turn affects the nerves.

So See, what does all of this have to do with a headache?

Rounded shoulders, a curved upper back, and a head pitched slightly forward (sounds like bad posture to me!) can all add up to muscle tension that results in head pain. The muscle tension affects the nerves in your spinal cord! According to Tomas Brofeldt, MD, at the Univ. of California's Davis Medical Center, "...because the muscles of the neck and upper back connect to the head, tension arising in these areas can be referred to the forehead and behind the eyes."

So the next time you have a headache or any kind of ache or pain near your neck, shoulders, back or legs, check your posture first. If you don't have the best posture and no accidents, then you are clearly a step ahead of the pack when it comes to fixing these issues. :)

The last part of this posture series will include various methods to fix your posture and relieve minor headaches, neck, shoulder and back pains. Until then,

stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

References: Hughston Health Alert and "Yoga Remedies for Everyday Ailments" from the Editors of Yoga Journal. 
Aldous, Susi Hately (2006). "Anatomy and Asana:Preventing Yoga Injuries", Seattle, Eastland Press.

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The Essential 4 series: Will Good Posture Please Stand Up?

Greetings Everyone!

The first weekend of classes started yesterday and the day before. I haven't been this inspired since the first time I picked up a pen and wrote poetry (that as when I was 8 years old). A part of me wanted to temporarily skip this series to talk about other things but I had to cut the OD Factor within myself and stay focused. So...without further to do....hehehe

Will Good Posture Please Stand Up?

My shoulders hurt. Well, it's really my right shoulder that feels discomfort but if I don't do anything about it, after a while, the pain would spread to my back and my neck. I know what was the catalyst for my discomfort and I even know what to do about it...but what about those of you in a similar situation? If you have joint pain and tightness (especially in the lower limbs), or internal ailments like digestive issues or restricted breathing, it maybe your posture that is the cause of your issues.

As children, we were always told to "stand up straight" and maintain good posture. Nowadays, this is a little difficult since textbooks for children, teens, and college students seem to be extra heavy. A woman's purse is also getting heavier and men...LOL I guess they have better things to do than checking for posture (unless they are in the gym for weight lifting).

While thinking about posture and doing research, I watched people walk. I started to feel bad at the amount of women that are walking with their torso's shifted to one side and as children look more and more like Quasimodo, with the heavy book bag on their backs. Most men that I have seen don't carry their bags on their shoulder and when they do, I have noticed them adjust more than women and children.

I also watched how people sit down at my office. This is where I see most men fail when it comes to posture. I have noticed that while men really don't complain about their "posture" issues, women speak on it constantly but don't know what to do about it. Women will get all kinds of body pillows and seat cushions, thinking it will help but it rarely does.

Before I got into specifics, I would like to show you what bad posture and good posture look like:


Can you see the difference? A lot of people don't even realize that their posture looks like this until they see a doctor because they are in pain or can't breathe. I know what you want to ask me right now: How does posture affect breathing? Without going into the scientific details, I will give you the common sense answer.

Look at this picture again. On the left, you see that the chest is compressed because of the "C" shaped back. If your chest is compressed, then how can you possibly be able to take in all the air that you need so that your body can function at full capacity? (Remember, your body needs the oxygen in air to travel, through the blood, to ensure proper blood flow - circulation) Also, noticed how the model has to keep his knees bent to keep this position. While it is perfectly normal for you to keep your knees slightly bent (especially when doing any form of exercise), keeping the knees bent in this way for long periods of time, puts too much stress on the knees and can cause damage.

If you notice the model on the right side of the picture is the complete opposite. Because his body is in this position, balance is greatly affected and can do major damage to the hips, legs, and feet. I also want you to pay close attention to the head. When your head is pushed forward, it offsets balance even more, causing damage to your shoulders and neck. Let's not forget that your back is always affected by posture issues.

Even though it pains me to (pardon the pun), I will pick up where I left off in another post. Next time, we will talking about the back and the spine - their roles and what is truly affected when the spine is "bent out of shape". I will briefly talk about spinal issues like scoliosis, and in the thread after that, I will discuss what alternative methods are available to make your posture better. Throughout this series, I will also continue with my path to better posture, explaining what my issues really were, in the next post.

As of now, my shoulder feels much better and all I did was spend 5 minutes on it. I can do more to make the pain completely go away but I am content right now. Of course you will find out what I did in later posts but I want you to understand right now that maintaining good posture is a constant thing that must last a lifetime. It is not something you can forget about once you think the issues have been resolved.

So until my next post, please....
stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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