Posture And Alignment Problems

"PERFECT POSTURE DOES NOT EXIST"

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Let’s start with giving a bit of context around a common misbelief: ‘we should all sit / stand in a certain way’.

Everyone is shaped slightly differently due to genetic or anatomic variations. Different forces to our bodies due to sports, hobbies, or jobs that require specific movements or positions that are advantageous to that task will contribute to differences in our individual alignments. This is normal and no one has ‘perfect alignment’ or posture because it doesn’t exist!

It is impossible to objectively measure ‘perfect’ posture because there is a lot of normal variation among different individuals.

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"Posture is the current position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting"

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If you don't move for a while, the nervous system will eventually remind you (through some discomfort) that you need to change positions or get moving.

Biomechanically speaking, you will probably be able to tolerate certain positions for longer, as the sustained load to specific tissues of the body will be greater in some postures and less in others. But, some tissues may be loaded more in what you might think of as "poor" posture while others may be loaded more in what you think of as "good" posture.

Listening to your body and spending more time moving around and switching positions rather than staying in one position for long periods is key to a healthy movement system. Even slight changes make a big difference!

​Desk neck or tech neck:

These terms describe a position where the chin is forward and the upper back is hunched over at a desk, working at a computer. This posture can still occur whether sitting or standing, although it is more common in sitting.

This position in itself isn't bad, but sustaining the posture for long periods (such as working at a desk for 9 hours) may load parts of the neck in a way that become irritated as the day goes on. Once the position is changed such as a lunch break or the end of the day, the discomfort usually goes away.

However, postures that are repeatedly sustained, say working at a desk for 9 hours a day for 6 months, can actually cause changes in the function of the muscles of the neck. Muscles that are chronically held in a shortened position will become tight and progressively weak, and muscles that are chronically lengthened can also become weak. 

Slumped positions:

Most people will have the slumped sitting or standing position in mind when thinking of ‘bad posture’:

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Slouched through the lower back, a curved upper back and a forward head posture to try to see what’s ahead of us.

To get into a better sitting position, we should start with the base of the spine, which is the pelvis. An anterior tilt of the pelvis will help a lot with correcting everything atop of it.

Activity assessment and activity modification

Activity assessment and activity modification play crucial roles in helping individuals with pain related to poor posture. Activity assessment involves evaluating a person's daily activities, movement patterns, and postural habits to identify any factors that contribute to their pain. It allows healthcare professionals to pinpoint specific activities or positions that exacerbate the pain and determine the underlying postural imbalances. Based on this assessment, activity modification aims to implement targeted strategies to alleviate pain and improve posture. This may involve teaching proper body mechanics, recommending ergonomic adjustments, suggesting postural exercises, or providing guidance on lifestyle changes. By addressing the root causes of pain and encouraging healthier postural habits, activity assessment and modification can effectively relieve discomfort, enhance overall posture, and promote long-term pain management.

In the video below, Anthony from Physio K runs you through a thoracic strengthening program, which is really good for improving your posture.

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Watch the video about posture correction exercises.

1. Straight arm pull backs

For this exercise you'll need to stand up and hold a theraband in either hand and have it attached to something in front of you; ideally a doorknob is really good for this. With both of your elbows extended, keeping them nice and straight. You're going to pull your arms just behind your hips and then slowly come back to the starting position. For this exercise, we recommend that you perform 10 reps and you repeat that for 3 sets. It's also important to make sure that you're squeezing your shoulder blades together really tight, imagining that you're gripping a pencil between them.

2. Vertical row

This exercise will be in a similar position, having a theraband attached to a doorknob or something in front of you. You're just going to have your elbows bent and then pull straight back. As you're doing this, remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together nice and tight as if you were gripping a pencil. For this exercise we're looking at repeating 10 times and doing three sets of that.

3. Band pull-aparts

Standing up, holding a theraband in your hands, you're going to keep them roughly shoulder width apart and you're going to keep your elbows fully extended. As you do this, you're going to pull them all the way apart, squeezing your shoulder blades together nicely as you do that. For this one, we're looking at performing 10 repetitions and you're going to do three sets.

These exercises are great for mid-back strengthening, if you have any other questions please feel free to contact us or come into the clinic for a visit.