If you take a look at people with good posture, you will notice several curves that are part of their spine. Their neck and lower back will curve inward, and their shoulder blade area will bend outward. These are the normal curves in people whose bones, joints, ligaments and muscles are healthy. The way the muscles and ligaments connect to the spine and the way the vertebrae are aligned determine this good posture.
Normal spines have an S shape, which consists of three main sections: the cervical at the top, the thoracic in the middle and the lumbar at the bottom. All three sections support the body by holding it in an upright position.
Four major muscle groups that interact with the cervical and thoracic spine help provide this support (although there are several smaller muscles that also play a role). The first is the pectoralis, which comprises two powerful chest muscles that allow you to bring your arms across your body, as if you were squeezing a large ball. The second is the rhomboid, which comprises the muscles between the shoulder blades that allow for rowing movements. The third is the scalene and sternocleidalmastoid (SCM) muscle group, found in the front of the neck, which allows you to bring your chin to your chest, rotate your neck and bend your neck to the side. The fourth is the trapezius muscle group, which is at the back of your neck and allows for neck extension, rotation, side-bending and pulling the shoulders up.
Normally, all these muscles work as a team and stay balanced with one another. They’re playing tug-of-war, but no one is winning. The pectoralis, scalene and SCM in the front pull with equal force to the rhomboids, trapezius and suboccipital muscles in the back.
When you have postural syndrome, however, it disrupts this balance. The anterior chest muscles become so big and so tight that it’s difficult for the weaker muscles in the front of the neck and back of the shoulder blade to support the spine. These weaker muscles become tired, yet still try to hold their position. It becomes uncomfortable for them, however, and they give in again. The battle also places stress on them, and over time they can develop pain that leads to tension in the shoulder, neck and head regions.
Because it takes so long for this imbalance to develop, it’s very common for patients with postural syndrome to get discouraged when they first try to fix their posture. That’s why it’s important for you to see a chiropractor if you suspect you have the condition. You and your chiropractor can work together to fight the syndrome that’s putting you in a slump.
While many conservative methods of care can help, you should remember that there’s only so much your chiropractor can do in his or her office. You will also need to make several lifestyle changes and become more aware of your posture.
To that end, your chiropractor will probably suggest that you take a close look at your home and work environments to determine what factors are affecting your posture. The way you sleep and what you sleep on have a dramatic effect on your back health. Sleeping on your stomach, for example, is like looking to one side for eight hours straight, which can cause excess stress on muscles in the neck, force spinal joints into awkward positions and affect the natural curve of the spine.
If you’re sleeping on a soft mattress, you should also look into buying a new one. A soft mattress doesn’t offer much support for your back. Instead, you should sleep on a firm one and use a good pillow to keep your spine in its natural curve. It’s also good to sleep in the proper position, which is on your side with a pillow between your knees or on your back with a pillow under your knees.
Now let’s take a trip to your workplace. Any job that requires you to sit for a long period of time can cause postural trouble in the future, so if you sit at a desk for hours you should learn proper postural positions. Your chiropractor can provide you with in-depth advice, but at the very least you should make sure you sit straight with your feet flat on the floor, your chin up, your low back resting tightly against the back of the chair and your elbows supported.
While practicing good postural habits will help you prevent your condition from worsening, you must begin an exercise program to counteract muscle imbalances that have already developed. Your chiropractor will probably prescribe stretching and strengthening exercises to help.
Stretching exercises will focus on chest muscles and the muscles at the back of your neck, as well as weak muscles in your mid shoulder blade and the muscles under your chin, and will help lengthen any tight muscles that can pull your spine into an abnormal curve. By strategically strengthening the same four muscle groups, you can eliminate any muscle imbalances that now exist. One tool that can help with this is a fitness ball, which you can use to perform exercises that will improve your posture by building torso and trunk strength and stability.
In conclusion, the first step to correcting postural syndrome to be aware of your body and your posture habits and then begin to make small changes to your everyday life!