Will Good Posture Work for Pain?
The modern mainstream view around posture is all messed up. I mean, it’s got some things right, but it severely underestimates its importance. Based on who you go to, you’ll see a variance of opinions, but the most common one is that posture doesn’t matter as long as you keep your body moving, as any static position is going to cause pain, eventually. So - you can sit hunched over at a computer as long as you get up every 15 minutes and walk around! Right?
Er, no. Well - yes, movement is ideal, but I believe correct posture not only exists but works in keeping us out of pain. I know from experience and study that it is okay, and even natural, to sit for long periods of time. I also believe that standing and walking is no “safer” than sitting, since, if all of the above are done with a poor postural foundation, all will cause problems down the line.
A personal example:
A year or so ago, I was working on a project that required me to sit on the floor and work with my hands in my lap. That day, I worked and worked for three hours, and to my surprise, I thought back and realized that I had sat up straight the whole time and experienced no pain. None. I didn’t get fatigued either. How?
I’ll tell you how, so take notes!
One, I wasn’t sitting on flat ground. I was sitting on a surface that elevated my pelvis about three inches relative to my feet. In this position, my pelvis wouldn’t tuck under me. (Note: there is a way for people to sit on flat ground with perfect posture, but it requires well-developed hip bones and significant hip flexibility, which most people have neither of. I’ll explain that in a later blog.) Two, my shoulders were relaxed. A big mistake people make is pulling their shoulders back and lifting their chest dramatically, causing tension and wearing them out. This isn’t necessary! I was relaxed but not hunched, I simply had my shoulders set back.
There was probably one other reason why I didn’t have pain, and I think it related to my stress level. Pain, fear, and stress cause us to reactively hold the breath, and also close up our core for protection, which becomes a habit and restricts the breath even further, stressing us out more. (A vicious cycle!) Sitting up straight allowed my breaths to be deeper and more relaxed, keeping me in a stress-free state while I worked.
So you see, posture makes a difference!
But you already knew that. How? Well, have you ever lifted weights or watched weightlifters? If so, you know that good posture is necessary. With poor posture, you risk severely injuring yourself! Well, is daily life any different? Your body is a constant weight, and we must hold it properly at all times.
Like a ballet dancer who, if she falls off even slightly from her foundation, will fall over, so it is with us. But instead of falling over, our fascia creates adhesions, akin to scaffolding, to keep us upright. These build up over time and end up blocking the nerves and blood vessels that the fascia is supposed to be protecting. The fascia also pulls muscles out of alignment, essentially rendering them weaker as they are not able to provide the optimal amount of leverage.
To sum up…
Posture is severely underrated by mainstream physical therapy and fitness approaches. I’ve lived my entire teenage life battling back pain, and posture training combined with fascia decompression have proved themselves to be the only true cure. My observations of athletic, capable people show that they would not be where they are without close attention to the technique of positioning themselves safely, which translates to everyday life as well.
I’ve explored this topic in detail throughout my journey with scoliosis and back pain. One of my all-time favorite books and resources is Esther Gokhale’s 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. This is a wonderful book not only for resolving back pain, but for understanding what role posture plays in culture and in health, and how losing that has caused an “epidemic of back pain.” I recommend this book above all else, as in my opinion, everybody should know this lost principle of posture. If these techniques could reach everybody, I’m certain the world would be a much less painful place. Literally.