Why Your Posture Matters
Most of us have been told to stand up straight or keep our back straight at one point in our lives. Some of us are even quick to point out or notice if someone has terrible posture. You can see it but you can feel it too. Our posture is an expression of our inner world. However, not everyone knows why people talk about good posture and why our posture is pertinent to our health.
What Is Good Posture
Good posture pertains to the physical expression and sensitivity to the world in and around you. Proper alignment in your body is a relationship that is in a constant state of adjustment and showing you where to adjust. This is not only when you are standing or sitting, as it also affects how you position your body while lying down. Having good posture means you have trained yourself on how to be in a decompressed position against gravity. Ideally we want the least amount of strain and tension on your joints and supporting structures like tendons, ligaments, and spine.
What Affects Your Posture
Your posture now is the result of the habits you have accumulated over the years: spending hours looking forward into your computer for work, hunching over your phone and tablet, slouching over as you tend to your kids or pick something up, carrying heavy bags on just one shoulder, and many more life experiences. Our posture is the expression of our daily habits. Because of these things that you do almost daily, in subpar positions, paired with time can lead to adverse effects on your body. The most common effects include muscle imbalances, decreased breathing capacity, nerve compression, compression of your joints, mood disorders, chronic pain, jaw issues, sexual dysregulation, and increases the risk of back, neck, and shoulder pain, You can, however, become aware of your patterns and counteract these daily activities. The body is VERY adaptable and likes to feel good.
Another reason why one can have poor posture not attributable to daily activities is linked to our emotional and subconscious conditioning/beliefs. The mind and body connection is brilliant and smart and ADAPTABLE. If you have had trauma (little t or big T, let’s be real who hasn’t?) at some point in your life you may have the energy being stored in the body. When we are unaware or push the hard stuff down and we do not allow ourselves the opportunity to feel them (for a myriad of reasons) the body and subconscious mind will become overloaded and the energy will begin to fester and manifest in the physical body which can lead to pain points.
You can address these factors by moving the body, using the breath to create space and soften those areas. This is the magic of yoga, it brings us to awareness of yourself. It is like reading the owner's manual that we may never have received growing up. When you pair moving energy and focused breath with functional movement you begin to draw the body back into alignment and close the places that leak your energy and have the opportunity to drastically shift your health and wellbeing.
There are a few ways to join me to do just this. Check out my schedule here or join me for a free consultation if you are ready to move from pain to freedom.
Why Posture Matters
Maintaining aligned posture is important because it keeps your bones and joints in optimal alignment decreasing the wear and tear of the joints, ligaments, and other supporting structures. But it also increases your vitality and health. Posture is directly related to your health and I would say at the root of many ailments. Proper posture allows for:
Elevated Joint and Muscle Function
Improves the Nervous System
Increases your Respiratory Capacity
Decreases Neck, Shoulder, and Back Pain
Optimal Organ Function
As we unwind these patterns the body softens. It lets go of the tension and stress and provides us with space and relaxation. When we have these functions of the body in alignment the body operates as it was designed to and our health increases. We breath better which affects our nervous system which affects every single operation in the body. We open up the space to move the needle from pain to reduced pain, maybe even no pain!
If you practice aligned and decompressed posture, your spine will be able to withstand the loads of daily life and add load safely. It takes time to become mindful of positioning. However, once you are self-aware of these patterns in your body, you will naturally provide the appropriate support your spine needs by practicing decompressive breathing and taking a movement snack. You learn about these in my yoga and Foundation Training classes. Keeping the body long and decompressed is the key to unwinding these patterns and moving towards optimal health.
You are not stuck this way or that way. With intentional movement and breath you can get the body to release the tension and feel it's very best. It's my goal to provide you with those tools and support you in integrating them into your daily life.