MEREDITH MC DONOUGH- Dr. Steve I remember being told to stand up straight as a kid. Does good posture make a difference.
Dr. Steve - Absolutely Meredith. Good posture at any age is absolutely beneficial in many ways. As we add years we subtract height and strength. This can result in poor postures, which puts stress on the body. Once we have bad posture, bad posture begets more bad posture. The good news is, we can actually change that process.
In the past, we weren't sure whether postural exercises could lead to change of posture. There is now evidence that you can improve your posture at any age.
Research states that with specific exercises to strengthen and improve flexibility you can actually improve your posture and maintain it. As you can see on this skeleton, there are curves in your spine that are fixed. The thoracic cage is a fixed position as is the sacrum; However, you can make dramatic changes in the lumbar spine here and in your cervical spine here and with your shoulders and hips.
Let me demonstrate on the model. If this person slouches you can see forward head and rounded shoulders. This sort of looks like the chair that we spend a lot of our day in; and that is what our bodies do - they adapt to what we do on a regular basis. We need to reverse that! Achieving balance between what is weak and what is strong is the key
To start see a physical therapist!
MEREDITH MC DONOUGH - So, we can have an impact on our posture, and it is good for us?
Dr. Steve - Yes, the straighter more erect, more balanced we are as a body the less work our muscles have to do and the more efficient our body is in movement. We then maintain better strength, and overall better conditioning. So, stand tall!
Dr. Steve Show/The Body Shop 