It was a day like any other day… running around wildly, meetings, meetings, meetings… phone calls, and working out. But then the day stopped me in my tracks with interest. My eldest is tall for her age, 5’5″ or more at 12 years old. As you can imagine, this causes some forward slouching which is common in tall girls. Fear of standing out, feeling like you are too obvious in a crowd.
So the thing that stopped me in my tracks, was a picture of my daughter on a horse, and in that picture she was in an incredibly good posture, which is common when she is on the horse. It is common when any good rider is on a horse. The pelvis is positioned well under the torso, and the shoulders pulled back to create a very upright position.
In seeing this picture, I was struck by the physics of a good spinal position. I was struck by the physics of good posture. It all starts with posture, and this was a very obvious moment for me. And in this complete knowing, the knowing that a spinal cord is protected by a spine, which is protected by a position that allows for no degeneration… no damage, no weakness in the discs. This is the key, that if you can maintain good posture, you can maintain health!
So here are 3 really important steps for you to get the best possible posture (there are more, these are the top three in my mind):
Prepare your most common positions throughout the day, to better serve posture. The number one cause of degenerative posture, is how you work, play, or commute. Position is everything… get a stand up desk, elevate the laptop, hold your phone higher when you use it, and find ways to be upright in everything. This is big.
Strengthen your spine. The increased strength afforded somebody who is actively working their posterior chain (the muscles of the back from the base of the skull to the heels), is a strength that protects you. As we have written in other Daily Sprout articles, dead-lifts are great for the spine (as long as they are done correctly). So jump into a plank, grab a dead-lift bar, and take it all very serious when you begin pushing around some serious weight, then you are extremely well protected.
Last, get adjusted. Compromised nerve flow does two things as it relates to posture. It causes compensation that allows you to function around dysfunction, and in that function further breakdown occurs. In addition, the weakening that occurs to the surrounding musculature, makes it more and more impossible to maintain normal posture. This weakening is due to the subluxation effect. Lack of neurological tone, leads to weakness.
Follow the guidelines, take it serious, and before you know it… you’ll have better posture, and better health!
Be well and be blessed! – Dr. E
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