“Good posture means good health - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel”

Good posture means good health - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: 09 Aug 2010 02:01 PM PDT

Aug. 9, 2010 |

Angela Peterson

Patty McNichols, owner of The Lift Pilates Studio on N. Broadway, shows what good and bad posture look like. Because of poor posture, she said, "kids are looking like older people sooner."

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Angela Peterson

Patty McNichols, owner of The Lift Pilates Studio on N. Broadway, shows what good and bad posture look like. Because of poor posture, she said, "kids are looking like older people sooner."

Poor posture is sure to make you look dowdy and out of shape. But more important, slumping and hunching can cause physical problems that last a lifetime.

And these days, it's affecting all ages.

"Poor posture is really a pediatric problem that has geriatric consequences," said Danille Parker, a doctor of physical therapy at Marquette University.

"If you don't catch it early, you will have a large number of problems such as aches and pains later on that are attributed to poor posture. Any joint in the body can be affected by poor posture."

Likewise, good posture is key to overall health.

"Your body works much more efficiently in proper postural alignment. The better your alignment and posture, the more energy you are going to have and the less aches and pains you'll suffer from. Everything will move through your body the way it should," Parker said.

Parker, who is also a geriatric clinical specialist and exercise expert for aging adults, said bad posture is on the rise for kids because they spend so much time sitting and because they carry loaded backpacks.

"Our society is tending to become much more inactive. These activities are encouraging poor posture. It will be an epidemic problem in a few years," she said.

Patty McNichols, owner of The Lift Pilates Studio, 758 N. Broadway, said that because of poor posture, "kids are looking like older people sooner."

She said when they lie down on a mat to do Pilates at her studio, their shoulders round forward, they have a forward head position, and they are already experiencing back pain from sitting at computers and carrying backpacks.

Larry Pleva, a physical therapist at M & M Physical Therapy in South Milwaukee, said that when he does see a young person with good posture, he notices it right away because it's so unusual.

But many adults he works with have posture problems, too, due to jobs that require them to sit for long periods.

He said poor posture in any age can lead to tight muscles in the chest and the back of the head and to weak, overstretched muscles in the shoulder blades that can cause postural strain and degeneration of the spine.

To remedy the problem, Parker suggests a well-rounded exercise program that includes strengthening and stretching. Aerobic activity is essential because it helps build the endurance needed to keep good posture, and core muscles should be worked because a strong core is essential to good posture.

For the general population she suggests stretching hip flexors because they become short from too much sitting, strengthening the lower back and glutes, stretching anterior chest muscles, strengthen scapular muscles and stretching the upper neck muscles.

For older people she suggests strengthening the upper back, shoulder and scapula areas.

Stretching

In addition to getting on the right exercise program, Parker said stretching just a few seconds can also make a big difference.

"I tell people it's impossible to maintain the best posture all day long," but if you even straighten up for five seconds every hour you will notice improvement over time.

"Pretend that you have a cord at the top of your head and that cord will pull you straight up to lengthen your spine," she said.

One stretch Pleva said will work on posture: Rest your head and shoulders on an exercise ball and let your arms hang out to the sides.

A shoulder blade retraction or squeeze, and standing against a wall are also good choices.

"Picture a soldier at attention. They throw their shoulders down and back and pop their chests out." Or, stand against a wall and bring your head to the wall without looking up or down, he said.

Jennifer Moreau, owner of Anytime Fitness in Cudahy, suggests short breaks to do breathing exercises because poor posture also can be the result of stress.

"Most people keep their stress in their upper back and shoulder areas. That can tighten up those muscles as well," she said.

She suggests holding the chest and shoulders up, taking a deep breath, then letting it out.

She said this not only helps you get rid of stress, it also helps you concentrate on keeping good posture. And that's crucial when you're exercising, because you can injure yourself if you exercise with poor posture.

Core strength

Improving posture requires strength exercises for the entire body with lots of core work, she said. Having a strong midsection helps you sit up straight.

Pilates and yoga exercises are also good choices because they stretch and strengthen muscles.

Pleva also likes Pilates for improving posture and said, "a lot of things we do as physical therapists are rooted in Pilates."

But more basic forms of exercise - such as riding a bike - can help, too. "Exercise in general gets muscles loose and joints more mobile," he said.

McNichols said Pilates is good for improving posture because it's about uniform development of the body.

"You're both strengthening and stretching at the same time. Pilates is alignment, and that's what posture is. Pilates is trying to get you back in alignment," she said.

McNichols said she noticed a difference in herself when she switched to Pilates after doing lots of cardio and weight training.

"It changed my body, I stand up straighter, I'm stronger and I have better posture," she said. "I'm stronger from the inside out now at 50-something than when I was at 20-something."

DVDs to check out

Here are some exercise DVDs to help improve posture.

• "Aligned & Well" DVD series. By Katy Bowman. 14 DVDs that offer "Prescriptions For Some of the Most Common Physical Ailments."

Bowman, a biomechanical scientist with a kinesiology specialty, gives workouts such as "Biomechanics for Bad Backs" and "From the Shoulders Up."

($14.95 each at www.alignedandwell.com.)

• "WELL, Worked Out With Tannis," by Tannis Kobrinsky. Pilates exercises that will improve posture and tone. ($14.95, www.healthabitravels.com). Available Aug. 17.

• "Pilates! A Gentle Formula to a Strong Body," by Risa Sheppard. ($19.95, www.sheppardmethod.com.) Two 30-minute mat workouts; for beginners and intermediate exercisers.

• "10 Minute Solution, Pilates for Beginners," by Lara Hudson. A 56-minute DVD with five segments. Includes a segment on stretching to improve posture. (Coming out Sept.7, but available for preordering at www.amazon.com; $14.98.)

• "10 Minute Solution, Pilates on the Ball," by Lara Hudson. Five workouts, including one on flexibility to help elongate muscles. (www.amazon.com, $14.98.)

• "10 Minute Solution, Prenatal Pilates," by Lizbeth Garcia. Includes a postnatal workout. ($14.98, www.amazon.com.)

• "10 Minute Solution, Quick Sculpt Pilates." Includes a toning ball and five workouts by Andrea Leigh Rogers. Has a segment on core that works on improving posture. (www.amazon.com, $19.95.)

• "Element: Slim & Tone Pilates," by Kara Wiley. A 38-minute workout with exercises to help strengthen and stretch muscles. (www.amazon.com, $14.98.)

Check your posture

While standing, check to make sure your ears are directly over your shoulders, your shoulders are directly over your hips and the weight of your body is over your mid-foot. You should be able to draw a straight line from ear to ankle.

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