Is Your Body Telling You Something?

POSTURE
Posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting or lying down. Normally, we do not consciously maintain normal posture. Instead, certain muscles do it for us, and we don’t even have to think about it…that’s why it’s easy to have poor posture and why it takes a conscious effort to develop habits of good posture. Most people don’t think about their posture until someone brings it to their attention.

WHY IS GOOD POSTURE IMPORTANT?
Good posture is important because it helps keep bones and joints in correct alignment so our muscles are used correctly, decreasing abnormal wearing of joints that could result in degenerative arthritis and joint pain. It reduces stress on the ligaments, minimizing the likelihood of injury. Good posture allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy, and therefore preventing muscle fatigue. It helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain.

WHAT DOES GOOD POSTURE LOOK LIKE?
When someone has good posture, they have a relaxed appearance. When viewed from the side, the ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should be aligned in a straight line. When viewed from the back, both ears, both shoulders, and both hips should be in a straight line.

CHANGING YOUR POSTURE
Changing posture takes willpower, but the rewards of having good posture is well worth the effort. Having good posture is an easy and effective way to help prevent pain. Not only does good posture help us stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions that place the least strain on supporting muscles and ligaments, good posture will help you look tall, confident, and feel great!

POSTURE AND BALANCE
Good posture means there is musculoskeletal balance, simply put, a balance between muscles and bones. This balance protects the joints of your spine from excessive stress and guards against injuries. Many people have poor posture habits that they are probably not aware of; these include poor fitting bras, overloaded backpacks, heavy briefcases and purses.

CHILDREN AND BACK PAIN
Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations, and use of overweight backpacks often slung over just one shoulder is a contributing factor. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states that backpack-related injuries sent more than 7,000 people to the ER in 2001.

THE FOUR RIGHTS OF BACKPACKS
Backpack Safety International™, an educational program that promotes and delivers guidelines for safe backpack use to administrators, teachers, parents and children, advocates the following four steps to ensure safe backpack use:
Choose Right: Backpacks should rest between the shoulder blades and waist.
Pack Right: Maximum weight should not exceed 5-10% of child’s body weight.
Lift Right: Face backpack, bend knees, lift with legs, and put on backpack one strap at a time.
Wear Right: Shoulder straps should be snug and the waist straps should be used if they are available.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Limit backpack weight to no more than 5-10% of child’s body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders by the straps. Backpacks should never hang more than 4 inches below waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking. A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively to equalize and distribute the load. Make sure that pointy objects are packed away from your child’s back and heavier items are closer to your child’s back for better balance. Bigger is not always better because the more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry and the heavier the backpack will be.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps because lugging around a backpack by one strap can cause a shift of weight to one side. This can lead to neck and muscles spasms as well as low back pain. Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable and can dig into shoulders. Shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body. If the backpack has hip straps, it is a good idea to use those as well. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain. If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher to see if the heaviest books can be left at school and your child can just bring home lighter material.

HANDBAGS, TOTES, AND PURSES
Like backpacks, a full handbag should weigh no more than 10% of your body weight. Straps on handbags should be wide and adjustable to help evenly distribute weight. When adjusting the strap, make sure the handbag rests between your side and your arm. The lower the bag sits, the more likely it is to cause trouble as it bumps into your hip. Choosing a lightweight material without a lot of heavy buckles, chains, or other hardware is also recommended. Instead of finding one bag for all your work and personal essentials, consider two bags: a briefcase for work and a purse or tote for personal items.

HANDBAGS CONTINUED
Carry only the items needed for each particular day because if a handbag is overloaded, the person carrying it will often hike one shoulder to subconsciously guard against the weight while holding the other shoulder immobile. If at all possible, try to carry handbags with the strap over the head “messenger style” to help distribute weight better across the entire body and prevent imbalance. Handbags continually carried on the same shoulder interferes with natural movement of the upper and lower body and can eventually cause such a musculoskeletal imbalance that the spine begins to curve toward the shoulder. To further aid in weight distribution, rotate the shoulder on which you carry the bag throughout the day because carrying something over one shoulder repeatedly can place too much weight on one side of the body causing neck, shoulder, and back pain.

BRAS: THE UNSEEN POSTURAL PROBLEM
Purses, backpacks, and briefcases aren’t the only things that can be detrimental to posture and back health. Poor fitting bras are another consideration in your road to good posture and a healthy spine. Bras are like suspension bridges; they need to be well engineered so your shoulders aren’t handling the brunt of the work. Bras that don’t fit properly and are not supportive can lead to back, neck, and arm pain, shoulder tension, poor posture, and headaches. When the weight of the breasts is carried fully on the shoulders it draws the shoulders forward creating a rounded, slumped posture. Bra cups that are too small and bands that are too loose around the back can cause the shoulders to carry most of the weight instead of the back creating shoulder tension. A bra needs to be firm, but not tight around the back and support the weight of the breasts in the mid to lower back area. The back of the band should be level with the under-wire. The best place to support the breasts is through the lumbar region or lower back, but often, women take the strain through the thoracic or upper back region, around the ribcage, and in the shoulders. Wearing an ill-fitting bra may cause you to bend forward which can cause overstretching in the trapezius muscles and lead to headaches. Bra sizes can fluctuate with minor changes in weight or hormones, and they don’t stay the same shape with repeated wear and washing, so getting regular fittings is beneficial to maintaining correct posture and musculoskeletal balance.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOUR BRA FITS?
Some easy ways to tell if your bra is fitting properly is lift your arms to see whether your bra is tight against the body. It should not slide around during normal activities. The under band and cups of the bra provides the majority of the support (about 80%) and the straps provide the rest (about 20%). If the bra strap is digging into your shoulders it could be because the under band is too loose and you are over-adjusting the straps to feel supported. The band of the bra should lie flat and even against the body, feel firm but comfortable, and not ride up in the back. If the band isn’t flat or comfortable, it could mean the cup size is too small. The bra straps should be parallel in the back and if they are too far apart, this could mean that your bra band is too small and it is overstretching. A bra that fits well will provide support and bring the weight closer to your center of gravity, easing the tension on the upper back and allowing more range of motion in your shoulders. Women have a unique balancing act with gravity and having the proper support can have a huge impact on back health.

CAN POOR POSTURE BE CORRECTED?
Poorly fitting bras, improper use of backpacks, and heavy handbags can all contribute to poor posture and injuries. The good news is that poor posture can be corrected, but keep in mind that long-standing postural problems will typically take longer to address than short-lived ones as often the joints have adapted to long-standing poor posture. Conscious awareness of your posture and correcting bad habits will eventually replace your old posture. Your doctor of chiropractic can assist you with proper posture, including recommending exercises to strengthen your core postural muscles. He or she can also assist you with choosing proper postures during your activities, helping reduce your risk of injury. If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from poor posture, backpack use, or any other condition or injury, call your chiropractor. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children.