Holding our posture up all day can be quite a tiring feat. Our bodies are so terribly good at adapting for the needs we place on it. Often these adaptations are great strategies, but often, they are not. We 'cheat' and often begin to use muscles and strategies not quite ideal and often a cause of tension, poor alignment and pain.
Every single one of us has our little 'strategies' to cope and respond with the loads and stresses we put on our body all day, no matter how small. You would be lying if you didn't fall into some non-ideal postures and habits in your day. Young children are possibly the only ones who can boast good posture. This is at least before long days sitting at school and carrying big backpacks begin to change things.
Awareness is half the battle here when it comes to posture cheats. When you begin to recognise your daily postures more, it is easy to then make small changes to 'unlearn' or to find other ways to hold your posture all day. Back gripping is a very common one of these. Perhaps these below are you?
😮Do you stand and sit with an overly lifted chest, or ribs sprung forward?
😮Does your waistband always sit higher at your back and low at your front?
😮Are you pregnant or a new mother?
😮Do you feel back stiffness when trying to reach or bend forward through your trunk?
😮Do you force your shoulders 'back and down' when lifting weights at the gym?
😮Have you a background in gymnastics, dance or the military?
Constant back gripping can create high compressive forces in the joints of the back, and limit your general trunk flexibility. On top of this, an overly lengthened or stretched trunk at your front with these postures makes the abdominal weak and unable to support you efficiently.
Does this posture sound like you? Here are some simple awareness tips for small changes.
✅ Try to think of your posture 'from behind', gently imagining a taller spine at the back of your trunk. This will emphasise tallness without over arching the trunk and gripping from your back.
✅ Can you also 'soften' your posture, gently 'zipping up' the ribs at your front so they do not spring forward so much?
✅ Visit your physio for more great tips and manual therapy if your back muscles are always stiff and tight.
Did you know that there are other cheats and non-ideal posture strategies? These include butt gripping and chest gripping. Intrigued? Check out our other posts and make the change to your posture!
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