This subject is dear to my heart because it is the foundation of what I do.
What is correct posture?
Your spine has four natural curves going from front to back. They are at your neck, mid-back, low back, and pelvis. Correct posture should maintain these curves. Your head should be in line above your shoulders, and the top of your shoulders should be over your hips with your hips over your ankles and feet.
An “easy" test is to stand against a wall with your feet slightly forward (to allow for booty thickness): the back of your skull, shoulder blades and butt should easily touch the wall with a little space behind the low back, your arms hanging freely at your sides, pinkies touching the wall.
For most people, it is hard to get your shoulders or head back to the wall due to all the forward head positions we let our bodies get into while doing things like looking down at our devices, watching TV, driving, reading, even eating.
Poor posture leads to neck stiffness, headaches, back pain, TMJ dysfunction, sciatica, and fatigue.
What do we do about it? That a whole other newsletter subject...but briefly:
There are over 600 muscles in the body that work in harmony to keep us upright and allow us to be mobile. We need to release, stretch, activate and connect with those muscles daily. A balanced exercise (yes- stretching is exercise) program is important. Start by pulling your shoulders and head back, suck in your gut and BREATH.
Our bodies are very unique so there is no one size fits all approach. It is always best to be evaluated by a professional to assess your individual needs and dysfunctions.
Move well and move often.
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