What is Good Posture? Part 4

Let’s focus now on adjusting the hips. According to Paul Chek, the amount of pelvic tilt and lumbar curve are the most important factors. Typically we need to strengthen the abdominals and stretch the hamstrings and gluts, in order to restore good posture.

Here are some great exercises for your hips and back:

Hip flexor stretch 
 While standing, lunge right leg forward onto a step; bend that knee until you feel a stretch in left hip. Be careful not to lunge too far. Hold 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Do 2 to 4 sets.

Glute bridge 
Lie on your back, or on a stability ball, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, squeeze your butt muscles and push hips towards the ceiling, keeping shoulders on the floor (or on the ball). Hold 5 to 10 seconds. Do 2 to 4 times.

Ankles can collapse inward (pronate) or roll out, which can lead to knee pain and hip or back misalignment. Try these two exercises.

Calf stretch Stand with arms stretched forward and palms against a wall. Keep left knee slightly bent and step right leg back. Keep right foot flat on the floor. Hold 15 seconds. Then, point toes of right foot inward and hold 15 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Do 2 to 4 sets.

Proprioreceptive exercise Stand on a balance device, wobble board, bosu ball or half roll and balance. Try walking your feet out, then in to a narrow stance. Hold for 30 seconds.

To find any of my past blogs, visit http://stabilityballtrainingfortherapists.blogspot.com/ or visit my web site at www.gaiaadventures.com. Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/stabilityball.
Let’s connect at info@gaiaadventures.com. Let me know what your challenges are?

Catherine D’Aoust at GAIA Adventures
http://www.gaiaadventures.com

What is Good Posture? Part 3

Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise, says the philosophy in the fitness industry today is “straighten before strengthen” because starting a workout regimen with faulty posture will only perpetuate any problems that already exist.

According to Comana, there are three areas that are commonly misaligned: the shoulders, hips and ankles. Stretching and strengthening exercises help to fine-tune the muscles around these joints and restore ideal posture. He says everyone would benefit from some simple “maintenance” exercises that target the flexor and extensor muscles at the ankles, hips and shoulders.

I have found that the stability ball does an amazing job to restore posture; you can do these stretches without any special equipment also. Here are some great exercises for chest, shoulders and back:

Chest and shoulder stretch 
Lie on your back. Stretch arms out to the side and turn palms so they face upward. Inhale deeply, then exhale. Hold 30 seconds. Do two to four times – or use a stability ball and sit on the ball, walk your feet forward and roll onto the ball until your head, shoulders and back are fully supported. Relax your hips and head and let your arms fall out to the sides for a relaxing chest stretch. Hold for 3-5 breaths.

Shoulder squeeze 
Lie on your back, or on a half-roll, arms stretched out to the side. Bend elbows 90 degrees so arms are in a bench-press position (hands up). Squeeze shoulder blades together without arching your back. Hold five to 10 seconds. Do two to four times.


Whole body stretch with ball With your legs wide, place hands on ball (or chair, or floor) and roll it out (or walk/lean away, pressing your chest towards the floor to stretch the back and hamstrings. This is also called "downward facing dog" from yoga. Hold for 5 breaths.

Back stretch Stand in front of ball and place the side of the right hand on the ball (thumb pointing up). Roll the ball towards the left while keeping the hips square. Hold for 3-5 breaths and switch to the other side.

In my next blog I will feature more exercises to stretch hips and ankles. There are many great exercises out there and the important thing is, to do them, and do them regularly. Let’s connect at info@gaiaadventures.com. Let me know what your challenges are and what you would like to learn about. Let's keep it rolling!


Catherine D’Aoust at GAIA Adventures
http://www.gaiaadventures.com

My next stability ball workshop (basic 2 day) is May 14,15 in Regina, SK (14 Primary Credits). Advanced Body Ball is May 16, Regina, SK. In Vancouver June 17,18 (basic) June 19 (advanced) accredited for Massage therapists and Personal Trainers. I hope you can join me.

What is Good Posture? Part 2

We should not take posture lightly. Few realize that posture is directly related to:

1. Low back or knee pain can arise from pelvic joint disorders
2. Headaches, eyestrain, and neck and upper back pain can be caused by the head being too far forward or rearward.
3. The effects of posture can be far reaching, involving respiratory, digestive, and circulatory systems as well as the musculoskeletal system.

Posture can be described as being both: static and dynamic. Static posture may be defined as "the position from which movement begins and ends." Dynamic posture may be defined as "the ability to maintain an optimal instantaneous axis of rotation in any combination of movement planes at any time in space."

Postural alignment, good strength and mobility of the trunk and extremities are essential to standing, walking erect, and using the arms and legs without causing unnecessary strain. The dynamic stability of the trunk when leaning forward or backward is vital to protect the spine from undue strain whether in sitting or standing, and whether quietly vertical or during dynamic weight shifting.

In my next blog I will present exercise ideas, using the stability ball to help us restore our posture in both static and dynamic modes.

To be continued

Let's connect at info@gaiaadventures.com. I would love to learn about your methods of dealing with postural issues with your clients.

Catherine D'Aoust at GAIA Adventures
http://www.gaiaadventures.com
Stability Ball Workshops accredited for therapists across Canada
604 329.1257



My next body ball workshop is April 18 (advanced one day): open to all, approved for Massage Therapists, Personal Trainers (7 BCRPA, MTABC credits/day). You may sign up for one day only or 2 days; held at the Holiday Inn, Broadway Street in Vancouver.

In Regina May 14, 15 and 16 (7 Primary Credits per day) in Toronto Sept 17, 18 and 19 (3.5 CEU's per day).

What is Good Posture?

Posture is defined as the typical position of the body – the relative arrangement of one body part to another. The implication being that good posture is something to aspire to and that it can affect our overall health. Yet interestingly, many of our clients and even trainers and therapists are examples of poor posture. We walk around with forward head posture, increased thoracic kyphosis (middle back curvature) and either flattened or excessive lumbar curvatures. .


Poor posture - forward head posture,
increased thoracic kyphosis
and excessive lumbar curvatures

Why then do you suppose everyone is so mentally conscious of posture, yet fails to demonstrate good alignment physically? I often correct my clients during training to: "Sit up straight , head back, activate the core!" and so on. Will it always be such hard work to be in good posture?

Aches and pains at the end of the day often result from improper use of the musculoskeletal system or from poor posture. Reactive hypertonus occurs in muscles that should not be activated continuously. Continuously poor posture with a forward head can cause ischemic pain to the upper trapezius muscles. Reactive hypertonus also occurs when muscles that must normally be activated to maintain posture are not challenged in their function (Klein-Vogelbach, 1990).

To be continued

Let's connect at info@gaiaadventures.com. I would love to learn what you think about my blogs. Is posture something that you deal with every day?

Catherine D'Aoust at GAIA Adventures
http://www.gaiaadventures.com
Stability Ball Workshops accredited for therapists across Canada
604 329.1257