We often think about posture and alignment as being related to the way we look but we also need to consider the effect that poor posture is having on our internal organs and skeletal structure.
We may joke in class about our “anti-aging” postural work- and its true- nothing is more aging than giving into a stooped, forward facing posture.
Over the years gravity does it’s best to draw us forwards and so we associate this with age.
However these days we spend so much time in forward facing positions that we “age” ourselves way before our time- think about how many hours today you have been working at a desk, looking after young children, driving your car, checking your phone, surfing online on your tablet- the time adds up!
Now consider how much time you’ve spent counter-acting this by opening up the chest and strengthening the back muscles?! Gravity and our forward facing habits are winning!
“So what?” I hear you ask.
Why does it matter if our posture is less than perfect?
We’re not models!
Well yes indeed- how you choose to present yourself to the world is entirely your choice.
However have you ever considered the internal implications of these habits?
Once we lose optimal alignment then many of our internal structures are compromised:
Our lungs get compressed which means it is harder to get that wonderful oxygen rich full breath – which means activities such as climbing stairs may be harder
Our diaphragm function is affected- without a full breath the stabilising function and soft tissue connections that help stiffen the lumbar spine are compromised, potentially helping us towards lower back pain
Kidneys, adrenals, colon and stomach are compressed- these organs perform vital functions and this compression can supress their effectiveness leading to lethargy and potential illness and disease over a period of time.
Nerves are compressed particularity by the mal-alignment of the vertebral column. The one you’re probably familiar with is compression of the sciatic nerve causing referral pain and discomfort down the leg and buttocks.
The flow of cerebrospinal fluid is inhibited and this can cause loss of creativity, difficulty with dealing with stress as well as other cognitive disruptions.
Muscular pairing actions are compromised leading to over-dominant muscles and “lazy” muscles. This just exacerbates the situation and can lead to back, hip, neck and potentially knee pain.
Poor alignment leads to uneven wear and tear on the vertebrae themselves- this could cause osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis) leading to pain and discomfort. It can also lead to a worsening of spinal osteoporosis (weakened vertebrae are at risk from anterior pressure).
We need to encourage our class members that their skeletal system is like the frame of a house and the contents within- you wouldn’t build a house to collapse down on those contents, so why build a body that does this?
Remember Groovelates sessions are planned to address these issues and can give you lots of ideas to add to your other classes too.
Visit our training portal HERE to see how we can support you and your classes.
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