Benefits of Good Posture

Our primary opponent in the posture game is gravity.In general, the goal, weather sitting, standing, lifting or dancing, is to maintain the normal shape of the spine. The spine has a slight foreward curve in the lower back and a slight backward curve in the upper back. Imjury is more likely to occur when these curves are exaggerated or removed. For good standing posture, the center of the head, shoulders and hip should fall is a when viewed from the side. The most common posture problems are rounded shoulders, a foreward head, a protruding abdomen and swayback. It's not uncommon for all 4 to occur together. When sitting, your back should have the gentle curves that it does when it's standing.Slouching places pressure on the lower back that is 10-15 times greater than that placed on the joints when lying down. Ideally, good posture results from a natural skeletal balance maintained with a minimum amount of muscular contraction. But if you have practiced slouching for years, good posture won't feel natural and it will take some getting used to. Physical fitness is essential for good posture. Those anti-gravity muscles must be strong and flexible to maintain that skeletal balance. The most important posture muscles include the following: Abdominal muscles: Inadequate abdominal muscle strength allows the pelvic to tilt foreward and creates an exaggerated lower back curve. Back muscles: Strengthening and stretching these muscles are important. Upper back muscles involve the shoulder and neck, which are especially vulnerable to tension produced by poor daily posture practices. Lower back muscles may also become tight unless regularly stretched. Leg muscles: Both the hip flexor (which pull the leg up toward your chest) and the hamstring (back of the thigh)are important for a balanced posture. Inflexibility in these groups can pull the pelvis out of alignment. Compliments of _______________________________________________________________________