Dr. Joseph Dolak
Posture
Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking
about good health. It is as important as eating right, exercising,
getting a good night's sleep and avoiding potentially harmful
substances like alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Good posture is a
way of doing things with more energy, less stress and fatigue.
Without good posture, you can't really be physically fit.
Surprised? Well, you're not alone. The importance of good
posture in an overall fitness program is often overlooked by
fitness advisers and fitness seekers alike. In fact, the benefits of
good posture may be among the best kept secrets of the current
fitness movement.
The good news is most everyone can avoid the problems caused
by bad posture...and you can make improvements at any age.
A lifetime of poor posture can start a progression of symptoms in the average adult. It can
start with...
Fatigue - your muscles have to work hard just to hold you up if you have poor posture. You
waste energy just moving, leaving you without the extra energy you need to feel good.
Tight, achy muscles in the neck, back, arms and legs - by this stage, there may be a change
in your muscles and ligaments and you may have a stiff, tight painful feeling. More than
80% of the neck and back problems are the result of tight, achy muscles brought on by
years of bad posture.
Joint stiffness and pain - at risk for "wear and tear" arthritis, or what is termed degenerative
osteoarthritis. Poor posture and limited mobility increase the likelihood of this condition in
later years. SEE SUBLUXATION DEGENERATION
The Wall Test - Stand with the back of your head touching the
wall and your heels six inches from the baseboard. With your
buttocks touching the wall, check the distance with your hand
between your lower back and the wall, and your neck and the
wall. If you can get within an inch or two at the low back and
two inches at the neck, you are close to having excellent
posture. If not, your posture may need professional attention
to restore the normal curves of your spine.
check to see if: 1. your shoulders are level, 2. your head is straight, 3. the
spaces between your arms and sides seem equal, 4. your hips are level,
your kneecaps face straight ahead, and 5. your ankles are straight. (Side
View) This is much easier to do with the help of another, or by taking a
photo. Check for the following: 1. head is erect, not slumping forward or
backwards, 2. chin is parallel to the floor, not tilting up or down, 3.
shoulders are in line with ears, not drooping forward or pulled back, 4.
stomach is flat, 5. knees are straight, 6. lower back has a slightly forward
curve (not too flat or not curved too much forward, creating a hollow
back).
The 'Jump' Test - Feel the muscles of your neck and shoulders. Do you
find areas that are tender and sensitive? Are the buttock muscles sore
when you apply pressure? What about the chest muscles?
Keep your weight down - excess weight, especially around the middle, pulls on the back,
weakening stomach muscles.
Develop a regular program of exercise - regular exercise keeps you flexible and helps tone your
muscles to support proper posture.
Buy good bedding - a firm mattress will support the spine and help maintain the same shape as a
person with good upright posture.
Pay attention to injuries from bumps, falls and jars - injuries in youth may cause growth
abnormalities or postural adaptations to the injury or pain that can show up later in life.
Have your eyes examined - a vision problem can affect the way you carry yourself as well as cause
eye strain.
Be conscious of where you work - is your chair high enough to fit your desk? Do you need a
footrest to keep pressure off your legs?
Straighten Up and Stay Healthy!
What does perfect posture look like?
Normal Posture
Perfect standing posture is when the following are properly aligned--the points between your eyes,
chin, collarbone, breastbone, pubic area and midpoint between your ankles;
From the side, you can easily see the three natural curves in your back;
From the front, your shoulders, hips and knees are of equal height;
Your head is held straight, not tilted or turned to one side;
From the back, the little bumps on your spine should be in a straight line down the center of your
back.
Obviously, no one spends all day in this position. But, if you naturally assume a relaxed standing
posture, you will carry yourself in a more balanced position and with less stress in your other
activities.
Poor Posture
When you have poor posture, the body's proper vertical position is out of alignment and the back's
natural curves become distorted.
Standing up straight is important for everyone, but at no time is it more crucial to develop the habits of good
posture than in childhood. Many adults with chronic back pain can trace the problem to years of bad posture habits
or injuries in childhood.
Because they are growing and more active, children may be at even more risk for injury to the back and spine.
According to studies, there is a significantly higher risk associated with football, trampolining and gymnastics. More
than 1/3 of all high school football players sustain some type of injury. As a parent, seek professional help for
children in the event of even a minor sports injury. Parents should also be aware that babies who are not strapped
into an auto safety seat run the risk of injury and even death in the event of a quick stop or an accident.
Good Posture & Aging
Poor posture extracts a high price as you age because it can:
Limit your range of motion - muscles can be permanently shortened or stretched when a slumped over position
becomes your normal position. Muscles and ligaments that have been shortened or stretched no longer function as
they should.
Increase discomfort and pain - it can often cause headaches and pain in the shoulders, arms, hands and around the
eyes resulting from a forward-head position. Rounded shoulders can trigger the headaches at the base of your skull
where the shoulder muscles attach.
Create pain in the jaw - a forward-head position can lead to jaw pain. This kind of pain (known as TMJ,
temporomandibular joint disease) was once considered only a dental problem. Today we know that TMJ pain also
may be caused or aggravated by faulty posture.
Decrease lung capacity - reducing the amount of oxygen in your body can decrease the space in your chest cavity,
restricting efficient functioning of your lungs.
Cause low back pain - one of the most common consequences of bad posture. For people over 35, low back pain is
often interpreted as a sure sign of age, although it may have been developing since childhood.
Cause nerve interference - your spine is the basis of posture. If your posture is bad, your spine can be misaligned.
Spinal misalignments may cause interference in nerve function.
Affect proper bowel function - even this important bodily task may be affected by faulty posture. If you have a
rounded shoulder, head-forward posture, it may affect your bowels. If your spine arches and sways forward, your
intestines may sag and cause constipation.
Make you look older than you are - when you are slumped over, or hunched over, not standing straight, you can add
years to your appearance. For women, the more rounded the shoulders, the more breasts may sag. Any woman, no
matter what her age, can help reduce the sag in her breasts by nearly 50% by simply standing tall.
Improving your posture
When standing - hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to
increase your balance. If you stand all day in a job like a cashier or clerk, rest one foot on a stool or take breaks to
get off your feet for a while.
When sitting - use a chair with firm low back support. Keep desk or table top elbow high, adjust the chair or use a
footrest to keep pressure off the back of the legs, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips. Get up and
stretch frequently - every hour if you sit for long periods of time. Do not sit on a fat wallet; it can cause hip
imbalance!
When working on a computer - take a one or two minute task break every 20 minutes when you work at a
computer screen. Keep the screen 15 degrees below eye level. Place reference materials on a copy stand even with
and close to the terminal.
When sitting in the car - adjust the seat forward so your knees are higher than your hips. Put a small pillow or
cushion in the small of your back.
When sleeping - sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow, to make your head level
with your spine. Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head. Use a small pillow under your
neck instead. Don't sleep on your stomach.
When lifting - let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your low back. Stand close to the object, then
where possible squat down and straddle it. Grasp the object, and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as
you stand up. Carry the object close to your body.
When bending - never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time. To lift or reach something on the
floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.
If you follow these practices, but still feel discomfort and pain related to specific activities, visit your Doctor of
Chiropractic periodically for spinal checkups and for a postural evaluation for yourself and for your children.
