5 things you need to know about posture

Ok guys, here it is, the weird, the obvious and the ‘oooh i wish i knew THAT 20 years ago,’ of posture.
Easy one first (for someone like me that spent 5 years studying and 10 years practicing biomechanics)...

Question 1:
True or False -
Sitting at a computer for extended periods of time can cause BOTH tightness and weakness of certain muscles?
Your brain is very clever (pat yourself on the back!), it recognises positions you put your body in regularly and your brain adapts the length and activation of muscles to suit it accordingly. People with sedentary lifestyles often end up with a syndrome labelled ‘proximal cross syndrome,’ where the muscles at the base of your skull and front of your chest TIGHTEN and the muscles at the front of the neck and in your mid back become WEAK. So it’s TRUE, sitting at a computer can make you both tighter and weaker at the same time.

Question 2: 
Which of the below options are BEST to counteract the proximal cross syndrome from Question 1?

1. Pole dancing
2. Lying down and doing nothing on a Posture Pole for 15 minutes a day
3. Your chiropractor beating you with said posture pole until you do your own exercises regularly.

Honestly, all three options have their place. Pole dancers have amazing upper and lower body strength, great core conditioning and astounding flexibility. And there are definitely some people we would like to donk on the head for NOT doing their exercises daily! But the BEST answer is B - lying down and doing nothing on the posture pole. Just 15 minutes of this a day is enough to tell your brain to get out of sitting down posture and relax and BREATHE better.

Question 3: 
True or False
High heels are terrible for you and you should throw out every pair you own!
Fortunately for fans of the recent Priscilla, Queen of the Desert performance in Ballarat, this is FALSE. Whilst some high heel shoes are shockingly designed for biomechanics (I’m looking at you, you silly 6+ inch stilettos with the flimsy strap), shoes with a MODEST and most importantly WIDE heel are reasonable. And if you are a good girl (or guy with calves to die for), and do your calf stretches afterwards, it’s mostly fine. After a big night on the town, definitely stretch, use the foam roller on your glutes and get adjusted and you can keep on dancing, cause that’s very good for you as well!

Question 4: 
True or False?
Breastfeeding is BAD for your posture.
Well…Yeah…. sorry new mum’s. Even bottle feeding can be very forward and hunchy. Two legged mammals like ourselves definitely have it rough in the design department when it comes to posture and feeding our young. Your best bet is to vary your position each feed, do the posture pole exercise after and pop a BIG pillow under young bubbas to lift them to you, so you hunch less.

And finally, Question 5: 
Which of the following are GOOD for your posture

1. Wearing a corrective brace 24/7
2. Seeing a chiropractor
3. Just getting up and moving regularly
4. Ignoring it

Let’s go through these…
Option A - Corrective braces CAN be beneficial for those who undergo regular postural stress, but wearing it for more than 20 minutes or so at a time can lead to a dependency and your muscles actually becoming weaker. So no to this one.
Option B - Yes! Chiropractors help your spine move better, they help educate people on better and healthier lifestyle habits and they definitely have you feeling a cm taller. (No Kristian, getting adjusted 6 times a day will not help you get to 6 foot tall).
Option C - Sounds too easy to be true? Nope! Just getting up and moving regularly (at least wiggle in your chair every 20 minutes and go for a walk every 90-120 minutes).
Option D - ignoring it. Yeah… Nah… Good posture is something that, once you lose, is REALLY hard to get back, and really only gets worse as gravity starts to win the war that pulls you down and forward.
​I will say though, that my favourite saying in health is: The best day to plant a tree was 100 years ago, the second best day is today.
So what are you waiting for? Set an alarm to get up and go for a regular walk. Get yourself a posture pole and book yourself an appointment with your local chiropractor! ​​