Tips on Alignment

Standing

Think about most of the behaviors that you have done in your life; reaching, carrying, picking up, sitting, reading, computer work, shopping, gardening, etc. I bet that almost every one has you leaning forward from vertical in some way. There is almost no action that you take in your daily life that would have you leaning backward and arching your spine. The only ones I can think of are painting the ceiling and swimming butterfly style.

This constant leaning over the years causes us to develop the forward slouching upper spine and shoulders that is a mark of aging. When your shoulders hang forward your waist goes backward to compensate, so you also lose the beneficial arch in your lower back. Sitting in chairs is also a killer for that lower arch.

The physical consequence of this posture is that the muscles at the back of your neck and shoulders get tight because they are trying to support the head, which is heavy. Unfortunately, there is a psychological aspect to this leaning posture as well as the physical. One of my teachers called the typical older person's slouch the posture that says "No!" to life. There is less life-affirming openness in the heart area, less opportunity to risk, to move fast, to jump into things, to embrace life.

Try an experiment : Stand normally, whatever that means for you, and notice the curves of your spine. Notice where your hands fall at your sides and which way they are facing. Notice your chin and where it is pointing. Don't change anything or try to improve, just notice where you are right now. Now try thrusting your shoulders back like your Dad told you to long ago and see what effect that has on your spine, your neck and your chin. Let that go and move back to normal. Now put a finger on your breast bone above your breasts and move your spine so that the finger goes out and up in a quarter circle. Notice where your chin and your shoulders are now. You are straighter, aren't you? And your lower spine remembered its original curve just as your chin remembered to stay level. Remember this during the day so often that it becomes habitual and you will be on the way to saying "Yes!" to life once more.

Walking

I have two tips for better walking. The first is to roll over the balls of your feet causing your feet to bend at the arch so that you can push firmly off the ground. Most of us walk as if we were Hovercraft. We have no feeling of communication with the Earth beneath us. This pushing motion will cause your hips to rotate naturally in their sockets as if you were moving at a much faster pace.

The second tip is to imagine a string tied to your pubic bone that gently tugs you along. This will bring your lower body forward to lead your walk instead of dragging around somewhere in the rear.

Another small thing is to notice where your hands are facing as they swing by your side while you walk. If they are facing backward, try facing them forward for half the time. This automatically brings your shoulders into better alignment. You could hold a tennis ball in both hands and keep it facing forward as if you were going to throw it to remind yourself.

Sitting

Sitting on couches and soft chairs is murder to our spine. Whenever you get the chance, sit in a straight backed chair or on a stool and support your own spine for a while. It will get stronger. You can do the breastbone arching in the sitting position as well.

Another thing you can do in a straight back chair is to roll your weight around in a circle on the chair while keeping your upper spine straight in the center of the circle.

©Pamela Free, NC 2004-2007 - Website design and content ©Pamela Free, NC 2004-2007 - design of weight vest for osteopenia and osteoporosis