THE TRUTH ABOUT POSTURE

GOOD POSTURE

• Keeps you looking youthful
• Improved bone health
• Decreased stress to spine and discs
• Decreased pain
• Stronger muscles
• Fewer trips to the doctor for neck and back pain.
• Signifies self confidence
• Improved lung function

BAD POSTURE

• Neck pain/ Back pain
• Headaches
• Shoulder pain and dysfunction
• Increased thoracic kyphosis
• Increased risk of compression fracture
• Increased stress to IVD (discs) increasing risk of disc herniation
• Increased forces causing progression of arthritic degeneration.

TEXT NECK

• Looking down at your iPhone or tablet places stress on your neck!
• Looking down at your phone or tablet places forces as great at 60# on cervical spine.
• Head in upright neutral position places ~10-12# on cervical spine!
• "Text Neck" posture is like carrying an 8 year old around your neck several hours per day! (Washington Post)

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Many people think that stooped posture is just part of aging, but you can help prevent that characteristic rounded spine that is often the result of osteoporosis and damage to the vertebrae and discs of the upper (cervical) and middle (thoracic) spine.
• The following are tips to keep you standing tall at any age!

1: OPEN UP

• Take a break from what you are doing.
• Set a timer to remind yourself to get up and stretch, walk, stand, or just to remind yourself to sit up straight.
• When driving, sit up straight, set your rear view mirror, use this to check on your posture.

2: SIT STRAIGHT

• When you are working at a desk or on the computer:
• Sit tall, shoulders relaxed
• Feet flat on the floor
• Don't lean forward
• Elbows flexed to 90 degrees
• Lumbar support in chair
• Talk to your physical therapist for proper workstation set up.

3: ROM AND FLEXIBILITY

• Perform daily mobility and ROM exercises.
• Maintain ROM/mobility and ability to move more freely.
• Use it or lose it applies here!

4: STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE

• A strong core is the foundation of good posture.
• A strong core also helps prevent falls, improves athletic performance, helps to prevent urinary incontinence, protects spine.
• Pilates, yoga, tai chi are good ways to strengthen your core. (Always talk to your MD before starting an exercise program)

5: SUPPORT YOUR SPINE

• Strengthening exercises targeting postural, core, LE, UE musculature are key to supporting the spine.
• Muscle endurance as important as strength.

6: LIFT WEIGHTS

• Weight bearing exercises like weight lifting, walking, and stair climbing help maintain bone density.
• Compression fractures happen when bones become thin and weak - aka osteoporosis.
• Compression fractures are painful and may create "dowager's hump" in the upper back.

7: VITAMIN D

• Essential for bone health (some studies correlate Vit D with maintaining strong muscles)
• A recent report from the Institute of Medicine found most of us do not get enough Vit D from food and sunlight without taking supplements.
• The recommended dietary intake for Vit D is 600 IU a day for women up to age 70 and 800 IU for women over 70. (Always check with your MD before starting any supplicants)

8: EAT HEALTHY

• Protein is important to build lean muscle.
• Dark leafy vegetables high in iron and calcium builds healthy bone and muscle.
• Healthy diet essential for healing, fighting illness, and to have the energy to participate in daily activities.

9: MEDICATION

• Talk to your doctor about bone density.
• Bone density peaks at ~age 30, from here it decreases.
• Your doctor will order testing to check your bone quality, he/she can then assess if medication to help build bone is appropriate for you.

QUESTIONS??

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