The Power Of Posture - What Is Posture And Why It Matters (Part 1)

in #health7 years ago

"Pull ya shoulders back mate!"

When I was young (maybe 5 or 6?), I was brought along on my first international adventure. Target location, Thailand.

I can't remember much more than getting my head shaved at a local barber shop, my cousin slipping in the pool area resulting in a split lip and the night markets. However there is one more memory, the type that is really vivid but you're not sure why...

I was walking through the streets with my grandfather when I spotted a man who was hunched worse than this.

Being young and oblivious to societal norms (this can still sometimes happen), I pointed right at him and said "Pop, what's wrong with that man?!"

"Don't point! He stands like that because he didn't keep his shoulders back as a kid and it has ruined his posture." He replied, lightly slapping my arm down.

I was horrified! And what the hell did 'posture' mean?

Nearly 20 years on, I've learned there is a lot more to it than just keeping your shoulders back. In this series of posts I'm going to shed light on what posture is and why it's important. In future posts I'll also outline the most common postural issues and give simple methods for keeping your body healthy and happy!

What is "Posture"?

Webster Dictionary Def. - The position or bearing of the body whether characteristic or assumed for a special purpose.

Your posture is determined by the amount of time your body spends in a certain position.

Back before the tech boom the environment we lived in was very different (or so I'm told). There was a lot less sitting and we were often moving through our Primal Movement Patters.


Source

We evolved to allow for these movements, it's how our body was designed.

You wouldn't force a dog to walk on it's hind legs all day, so why do we sit all day?

If you're hunched over a computer for a couple of hours a day, your body will adapt to that position unless you are proactive. This will make you unable to perform the primal movements outlined above (they will be explained more later in the series).

The muscles at the front of the body will tighten up, your back muscle will weaken and over a period of years you will slowly fold to your doom like in the animation above.

This isn't the only postural condition that can develop. However, in my experience it is the most common by far.

How can a poor posture impact on your health?

Pain

PREVALENCE IN AUSTRALIA
In 2004–05, 31% (6 million) of the population (33% of females and 29% of males) reported having a long-term disease of the musculoskeletal (muscles and bones) system and connective tissue.
Of the total population in 2004-05, 15% reported having arthritis, 15% reported having back problems, and 3% reported having osteoporosis.
Source

Unless otherwise caused by a serious injury, such as a car accident, a lot of these condition develop due to incorrect posture and lack of physical exercise. You might not develop the condition today, this year or even in the next 5 years... But it's a matter of when not if.

Keep in mind these statistics were taken back in the early 2000's, I'd bet they have risen in the past 13 years.

Breathing

I was hoping the animation at the top makes this one pretty obvious. As your body adapts to the hunched posture the ribs collapse, preventing adequate inhalation.

Breathing is very important for relieving stress and allowing for healthy organ function!

Stress

Other than the breathing issue, poor posture can add to stress in another way.

Your body has evolved to provide a stress response. Back when primal movement patters were followed daily (like running away from predators or swinging a club) this would be used to provide our maximal energy response to help survive.

Nowadays this maximal energy response isn't expressed outwardly. It constricts out bodies from the inside, tightening muscles more, developing tension and adding to our stress.

Digestion

This one falls into a similar category as breathing but often with far more noticeable consequences.

Even if you eat the most nutrient dense food, if your body is unable to correctly digest and absorb them it's all in vain. A healthy posture perfectly aligns the digestive system, allowing it to function efficiently and reducing issues such as constipation, re-flux and bloating.

Circulation

When the body is not in correct alignment it can impinge essential arteries, veins and nerves. This impacts mobility. Also, when a good posture is attained, pressure is taken off muscles allowing more blood to be sent to vital organs.

Flexibility

I hope this one is a no brainer.

Non-Verbal Communication

This is a big one a lot of people forget.

For most of my life I ignored the importance of non-verbal communication. Growing up I though everyone should be judged from the words they speak and the feeling behind their actions, not how they looked.

Having matured a bit, I learned to fully utilise my posture and body language to allow for healthy communication. I often tell my clients that you feel how you look. It's true, your mind follows your body.

I didn't make this up! Right now sit up straight and tilt your head back ever so slightly. Take a few deep breaths. How do you feel?

Now do the opposite, slouch your shoulders, cross your arms and look down... Different feeling?

If I ran a session with slouched shoulders and head down it would be easy to think that something was upsetting me or that I didn't want to be there.

Assuming this healthy, confident position that dirrectly influences mood can be impossible when suffering from postural issues, and people will make assumptions about you without them even knowing it. It's subconscious.


I hope this serves as a nice introduction to why posture is important. In later posts I will cover more specific postural issues as well as corrective exercises and daily routines to maintain a happy and healthy body position.

If you would like a great book of postural exercises I recommend


Pain-Free Posture Handbook: 40 Dynamic Easy Exercises to Look and Feel Your Best

Yours, with Purpose.

harrynewman

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Ahhh , i had a hunch about my back, now i know. Signed, the guy from Notre Dame :)

hahahahahaha! Glad I could help :)

Dude, this post hit home because over the last few months I have developed something called 'text neck'. I am 5'8" and have always had kinda poor posture... but I spend all day (it seems) looking down at a little screen! And now at 45 years old... WHAM!!!

Dude that is one of the major aspects of my next post explaining different postural issues! Every time I walk around in public I see this condition. Checkout sarahtops9000's comment, you can improve no matter how old you are :)

You seem like a good steemian for the Fountain Longevity Circle to follow, upvote, and resteem.

Thank you! Our missions are not so different. All the best friend, followed back to build a community <3

The human body is amazing! Never to late for it to improve :)

Hi. Posture is extremely important. The more I stand up, put my shoulders back and perform calm and consistent breathing, the better I feel. Minimal back pain, my height is back to normal and I'm calmer on a whole. Thanks for this great post.

Posture is so often just pushed aside as being something based only on looks. It has so many physiological effects on the body!

I really appreciate your comment! I'm glad you liked my post :)

But slouching in front of the computer is so much easier than sitting up straight! XD

A guitar teacher I had once gave a really useful thing for making sure you kept good posture and it was along the lines of pretending there was a string in the bit where your neck connects to your skull and you were kind of hanging from it. I phrased it less eloquently but it's worked out for me XD

That's definitely difficult for me. I always like acoustic over electric and sitting down and playing meant I would hunch over it in a way. I try to play standing up if I can.

Standing up is probably better as long as you don't keep looking down at your strings? XD

I played bass and am a shortarse so slouching wasn't really an option for me sitting or otherwise as I wouldn't be able to hold down the strings at the top, even with the "odd" way I held the bass XD (at least the guitar teacher told me that it was odd but it worked so no one complained too much ;D)

I used to play out in public sitting down or at a bench so no, I imagine just wrapping my body around it in a way. Haha I imagine holding it any way a preference but it would affect the body over time. I have a friend who played bass guitar and was hunched over almost looking straight down and had the strap hung low. I imagine it looked cool at the time but ouch.

I have a friend who played bass guitar and was hunched over almost looking straight down and had the strap hung low.

My neck and spine hurt thinking about that DX Your friend was probably a lot stronger than me XD

Hurts mine too lol idk maybe it's a metal band thing

I usually try to make sure I'm sitting upright and not slouching to avoid future problems

It's always a smart idea to think of the future :)

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This article is essential for everyone to know, see the signs, and prevent FHP. I am Chiropractor's assistant and the majority of our clients would have alleviated pain if they would abide by being in correct position for activities, less phones, computers, stretch, and strengthen the antagonist muscles. Great info!!!

Do all the yogas! Nice post, I'd be interested to hear one about mental posture as well. <3

Yes! Yoga works wonders for posture.

I use to have terrible posture and felt so self conscious and suffered social anxiety. Then my posture improved and now I am so much more confident. I doubt it is cause and effect, I think it has to do with a larger list of many correlated factors but still. A healthy posture is very important.

Thanks for your comment, always appreciate it <3