Physical Therapy Tips - What is the formula for a strong healthy back, Good Posture Can Make All The Difference!
What Is The Formula For A Strong Healthy Back?
Good Posture Can Make All The Difference!
Fatigue, faulty alignment and bad postural habits can make picking up a piece of paper or vacuuming as risky to your back as tackling a 200 pound load, says Dr. Kenneth Light.
Are you frequently tired or achy, or bothered by nagging neck and back pain? A simple answer could be your posture. Approximately 60 percent of women slouch, a problem that can cause pain and even reduce your energy level. Poor posture can also make you appear older and heavier, while a well-aligned body projects an energetic, self-confident image. Poor posture can also lead to muscle fatigue. "The extra stress poor posture puts on your muscles can leave you physically drained, which can make you feel tired," says Dr. Light.
Poor posture may even affect your breathing. Some experts have observed that slumping forward may leave less room for your lungs to fill with oxygen. When your lungs don't expand and contract properly, you may not get enough oxygen to all of the tissues throughout your body. That can sap your energy.
Physical Therapy Tips
The overall benefits of exercise are well accepted within the medical community. Additionally, it has been suggested that increased levels of fitness may reduce an individual's risk for low back pain (LBP) and injury. Those who are fit tend to recover from injuries more quickly.
As well as being preventative, we believe that exercise is an integral component of your rehabilitation process. It is important that back exercises be incorporated into your daily routine, and be performed in addition to your recreational and job-related activities. Even though you may feel physically strong and/or have a physically challenge ing job, you may not have the strength and awareness necessary to fully utilize your trunk muscles to stabilize your spine.
Lining Up For Good Posture
To see if you have correct posture, look at a side view of yourself in the mirror. Imagine dots at the front of your earlobe and shoulder, at the center of your hip, just behind your kneecap, and in front of your anklebone. If you mentally connect these dots, they should form a straight line.
Dr. Light says the paraspinal muscles along the spine are as important as keeping the abdominal muscles strong. "Think of cables that support the mast of a sailboat. Without them, the mast would wobble and sway. To remain upright and strong, your spine needs both the abdominal muscles to lift it and the paraspinals to hold it in place."
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