Tag: posture

Assessing and Correcting Bad Posture

Did you see the article by Dr. Pamela Peeke about posture in the most recent issue of the AARP Magazine? I have blogged about the importance of posture for older adults in the past, but it bears some review.

Peeke’s article addresses six different ways that we can assess our posture, and work toward fixing it. Not only can it improve our appearance, but it can also relieve pain.

The first three are done in front of a mirror, but standing perpendicular to it (ie, with our side toward the mirror). Turn your head so you can see your reflection.

  1. Where are your ears? If they are not directly over your shoulders as they should be, scapular retractions and/or chin tucks can help.
  2. Where are your hips? If your hips tilt forward, tighten your abdominal muscles and push your hips forward so that they are directly beneath your shoulders.
  3. Where are your ankles? If your ears or hips are out of line, your ankles may not be in the right place–directly below your shoulders. Work on 1 & 2 above, and 3 should resolve itself.

Now, turn so that you are facing the mirror.

  1. Where are your shoulders? If one is higher than the other, try forward and reverse shoulder rolls. If one or both is rounded forward, stretch your chest muscles (which pull the shoulders forward) by clasping your hands behind your back and interlacing your fingers; now pull your hands up and away as far as you can from your back for 10 seconds and repeat throughout the day.
  2. Where are your feet? They should be shoulder-width apart, parallel, and with toes facing forward. If that is not the case, shuffle your feet until they are in the correct position; note the balanced feeling and strive to maintain it throughout the day.
  3. Where are your knees? If your knees are out of alignment, you can stand with toes pointing inward and heels slightly apart. Fold forward at the hips and let everything hang loose. This will help re-align the knees and stretch the hamstrings.

There are many reasons for poor posture. For serious issues that lead to pain or major misalignments, talk to a physician; physical therapy or other treatments may be necessary.

Remember, posture is not just about appearance. When we are out of alignment, it can cause a cascade of negative effects on the body. A little bit of work each day can go a long way.

The “Don’t Kiss Me” Exercise

lovers paint like a child couple kissing relationship and love paintings the kiss painting artist painter raphael perez

Several years ago, I began to notice that I had developed a numbness and tingling in three of my fingers of my left hand. This was alarming since I tend to use my fingers a lot.

I went to my primary care physician who ran the appropriate tests to make sure it was not anything too nefarious, and then referred me to a Physical Therapist. It turns out that I had a slight impingement in one of the vertebrae of my cervical (upper) spine that was affecting the nerve in my hand. I was given the “chin tuck” exercise to do.

The chin tuck was described to me as follows: “Sit or stand with your head up. Pretend that someone is coming in to give you a kiss and you do not want that kiss, so you back your head away.” A more scientific way to explain it would be as follows: Have the head directly over the shoulders (ears lined up with them); place a finger in front of the chin, then move the head back as far as possible from the finger. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10-15 times; others call for holding the pose as long as possible.

This exercise not only relieved my symptoms within a few weeks, but it also became a part of the my regular repertoire of stretches I do for myself and recommend for my clients. In addition to resolving impingements, chin tucks are one of the most effective exercises for relieving neck pain (often caused by the head being too far forward). It also helps with overall posture. This is a problem more now than ever as we often crane our heads over our keyboards.

The exercise looks silly while it is being done, but it if done on a regular basis, it can make a big difference in one’s posture, preventing possible pain further down the line.

Even though this exercise plainly says “don’t kiss me,” it is a stretch that most people will learn to love!