Practice Perfect Posture Perfectly
Posture is the first of the 12 Innate Essentials because I believe that it can be easily changed to have a deep impact on your life. I have also stated in a previous blog post that form comes before function which is a general rule in architecture and engineering. Your posture and the way you carry yourself from that posture can affect multiple areas of your life from your health, to your personality. Many studies have related it to respiratory issues, cardiovascular issues, mental health issues, relationship issues and many more.
It should be taken seriously as it is the first step into physical well being. However, it should not be stressful. It is my opinion that there will never be such a thing as a perfect posture. This in large is due to the fact that we all vary in shape, size, environment and genetic factors. Practice perfect posture perfectly, but don’t be so rigid as to lose the mobility of the joints you are trying to maintain. (Read all about the 90/10 rule) Instead, strive to encourage better posture than you had yesterday. Strive to understand your altered postural types and then correct them. Strive to understand what altered postural type you may create due to your environment and work to prevent that abnormal posture from taking shape. We discuss the most common abnormal posture types below.
5 Unhealthy Postural Types
- Upper Crossed Syndrome – Link to in-depth blog post
- Characterized by having the head and neck positioned in front of the body in the sagittal plane. Often, this will also include rounded shoulders, a slumped forward position, rounded upper back and sometimes a hump on the upper back and lower neck.
- Common lifestyle choices that lead to Upper Crossed Syndrome include;
- Sitting and standing positions where the head, neck and shoulders are all rounded forward. Poor posture while using technology is a common practice. Often known as tech-neck. This is mostly related to looking down at phones or tablets. Desk work, studying, computer work, assembly jobs and any other positions where you are left in a rounded head down posture for hours.
- Sleeping positions where the use of head support such as pillows is exaggerated to watch TV or look at other tech devices. The fetal position where the head is tucked in also increases the time the head is left in a flexed position.
- Lower Crossed Syndrome – Link to in depth blog post
- Characterized by having an exaggerated lumbar spine (lower back) curvature and/or a forward tilting pelvis. Often this will include tight and weak muscles that will give you that J Lo look that is often achieved by wearing heels.
- Common lifestyle choices that lead to Lower Crossed Syndrome include;
- Sitting positions. Jobs related to chronic sitting postures such as a desk job with or without computers and jobs where driving or commuting is inevitable.
- Sleeping positions such as the fetal position and prone position (on the stomach).
- Layered Syndrome
- Characterized by having the head and neck positioned in front of the body and an exaggerated lumbar spine (lower back) curvature in the sagittal plane. This is, in fact, the case when one person has both upper Crossed and Lower Crossed Syndromes. This increases the complexity of treatment for a positive outcome.
- Common lifestyle choices that lead to Layered syndrome are often chronic sitting positions as well as other lifestyle choices listed above.
- Flatback Syndrome
- We have yet to discuss this postural abnormality largely due to the fact that it is much less common to have in this high-tech society and due to the difficulty of diagnosing this issue over the internet. This postural abnormality would be characterized by the lack of any curvature in the Lumbar or Thoracic Spine. This leads to the same biomechanical destruction of joints as discussed in the blog post “movement is life”. For an accurate diagnosis of this abnormality, it is best to see a Doctor of Chiropractic, Doctor of Physical Therapy or a certified Egoscue practitioner. Please contact me if you need assistance.
- Common causes that lead to Flatback Syndrome include; Degenerative Disc Disease (Maladaption), Compression fracture, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Surgical fusions. It should also be noted that some suspect lack of curvature in individuals who neglected to crawl or perform “tummy time”.
- Scoliosis
- In the previous blog posts, we have primarily dealt with postural abnormalities in the sagittal plane. Scoliosis an abnormal postural variant in which the spine deviates from left to right within the context of the frontal plane and away from the midsaggital plane. Characterized by convexity and concavities that stray from the normally straight spinal column.
- Scoliosis is often thought to be 100% genetic but is now being broadened to epigenetic and familial according to the Clear Institute. Epigenetic meaning that the environment plays a strong role in shaping whether someone’s genes will express their phenotype towards scoliosis or not. Familial in the manner that the trait may be passed on from parent to child, but not produced due to environmental factors. This being said, ALL scoliosis curvatures (functional or structural) can be helped to some degree or another by means other than surgical intervention. The degree of scoliosis and its negative impact on one’s health should be the only reason for surgical intervention when all other alternatives have been exhausted.
- Common lifestyle choices that lead to scoliosis include; Poor postural choices related to sitting, standing or sleeping asymmetrically. Think of joint stacking, “mom hip”, leaning on desk, chairs, consoles, etc. Sleeping on the side and twisting or dipping the pelvis in a softer bed. Leg length discrepancy can cause compensatory scoliotic curvatures whether congenital or acquired.
What causes most postural abnormalities?
As related above, we can have a genetic predisposition towards a certain type of postural abnormality, but this doesn’t mean we have to exhibit that postural type. Posture abnormalities are a reflection of your postural habits. Your spine is shaped by the postures you have and by the time you spend in those postures. Much like braces on teeth. Pressure + Time = movement of teeth (bone) in the desired direction. So, what direction are you pushing your postural type towards? For more in-depth information about these postural issues and more, please read 3 Steps to Make Your Posture Great Again as well as Lowered Crossed Syndrome and Upper Crossed Syndrome.
What’s your postural type?
4 ways to help diagnose your postural type.
- Professional help. Obviously, the best way to diagnose your postural type is to see a professional for their opinion and guidance. A Doctor of Chiropractic, doctor of physical therapy, some medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy or even postural practitioners. Some of the most complicated cases will need imaging to identify the problem and cause of the postural condition. For example, a recent patient presented with mild scoliosis, rounded upper back, and forward head posture. Based on the examination, it was necessary to take X-rays and we found that this individual had a hemivertebrae. A congenital anomaly where the patient is born with half of a vertebra and therefore there is a structural problem causing her condition to be exacerbated. We still worked with her condition and were able to improve the health of her spine and posture through Chiropractic and active rehabilitative exercises such as the ones found here. Without the professional diagnosis of her hemivertebrae, she would not have been able to make as much of an impact on the health of her spine.
- Picture Test. Take a picture of your standing side posture and use a gravity line to assess your postural type. There are many free apps out there that currently allow you to do this for free. Here are a few links; Posture Zone and Posture Screen. I have the posture screen App and can help you decipher your postural type. Please contact us for more information.
- 2-Inch Rule – Back up against a wall. Heel, butt, shoulders, and head all remain in your normal posture. Is there more than a 2-inch gap between the wall and your lower back? Can you easily rest your head against the wall without straining or looking up? These are signs that you may have Upper Crossed, Lower Crossed or Layered Syndrome.
- Adams test – A test often used clinically to test for scoliosis. It is highly accurate, but the gold standard would be X-ray. During the test, the individual bends forward with the feet together and knees straight while dangling the arms. Any imbalances in the rib cage or other deformities along the back could be a sign of scoliosis. In many cases, you will see a rib hump or even a high pelvis on one side or the other. Video link click here
What can we do to improve posture
- Spatial awareness habits – Pay attention to your posture habits. Link to Posture.
- Corrective Exercises – There are hundreds. Here are links to correct Upper Crossed Syndrome and Lower Crossed Syndrome as well as some behaviors related to scoliosis like joint stacking.
- Chiropractic – Helps restore joint mobility (flexibility) and neuromuscular control.
- Massage – Relaxes tight muscles and releases trigger points.
- Reduce digestive distress – reduce distended abdominal muscles from bloating. Read the blog post Eat Real Food for more help.
- Reduce weight – Reduce your belly and you’ll change your center of gravity.
- Change your routines – Try using some other alternatives to our modern ways of life. Things like the Squatty Potty or the Veridesk. Work from home instead of commuting.
- Find balance with the exercises listed above if you are forced to sit for long periods.
Perfect Postural Practice
Perfect posture cannot be defined merely as the way one stands or sits. Posture is any position you are in at any time and can have many variables. This can be for a second or for hours at a time. Normal posture is never perfect and is always changing. Do your best to lead with good form and postures. Always strive to have a better postural position than you did the day before. Posture like most things that need maintenance and upkeep is best when tended to regularly, rather than waiting until it is out of control. Keep practicing perfect posture perfectly every day. There can be no set standard for a perfect posture. Instead, seek to understand your postural abnormalities and begin to correct them with prescribed exercises and change in habits described above. Practicing perfect posture means to be aware of your tendency towards unhealthy postures and work to correct those habits.
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
– Thomas Edison.
One Adjustment Action Step
1. Understand your postural type or postural leaning due to your habits.
2. Reduce your bad habits by creating spatial awareness routines.
3. Add specific exercises for your postural type or habits.
4. Create routines and rituals to help you create balance in your life for lasting change and well-being.
5. Read throughout the Physical Well-Being category for more information on correcting your specific postural types.
We will re-visit postural problems such as tech-neck in the future, but for the next few blog posts we will be expanding on water and it’s effects on your body.
Any posture types you want to know more about? Leave a comment below and I would love to help.
–Nick the DC
Disclaimer: The One Adjustment website and blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any type. One Adjustment uses affiliate links as a means to support the content provided at no extra cost to you. Please see disclaimer link for more details.
