Dr. Peter – Easing the Pain of Static Postures – Series 2

Last month I spoke about body posture and how important it is to maintain an upright, erect position to minimize tightness, weakness and pain.

Regardless of your profession, each job has its postural downfalls.  Whether you are a server in a busy restaurant, an executive assistant who is sitting daily at a terminal or a housekeeper in a hotel you must be aware of the repetitive movements and postures that can be injurious to not only your musculoskeletal system but also your internal organs.

Recall last month my diction about forward head carriage and rounded shoulders (picture in your mind “The Hunch Back of Notre Dame”) and how detrimental this posture is to us.  Not only does this stature increase pain and stiffness in our upper back and neck, it decreases our ability to take normal breaths.  The inability to perfuse our lungs and tissues with oxygen carrying blood means less oxygen to our tissues (a state called hypoxia) thus equalling more pain.  Everyday in my office I explain and demonstrate proper breathing and stretching techniques to people from many different vocations to avoid these issues.

So what sort of stretching and strengthening techniques can you do on a daily basis to help minimize your discomfort regardless of your profession?  In order for people to be compliant I limit the number of exercises I give them.  The following are upper and lower body stretches for muscles that are prone to tightness.  That is, these muscles are tight when we are born and only get tighter as we age.

Chest Stretch – stand against the wall with your right arm behind you at shoulder height, elbow straight and palm flat with thumb pointing toward the ceiling.  Feel the stretch across the chest and down the arm.  Repeat on other side.

Wall Angel – stand with your back against the wall with your feet 6 inches from the wall.  Head, shoulders, elbows and wrists are flat against the wall with shoulders and elbows at 90 degrees.  Easiest position is with your butt off the wall to start.  Slowly move your arms up and down maintaining wall contact with wrists and elbows (like doing a “snow angel” but with your elbows bent).  Repeat 10 times, twice a day.

Lunge/Runners Stretch – Drop one knee to the ground.  Extend the other leg out in front of you.  Keep your back straight while “lunging” forward by bending the knee in front of you.  Repeat on other side.

Buttock Stretch – Lie on your back with one leg straight and the other bent to 90 degrees.  Grab the bent knee with both hands and pull towards the opposite shoulder.  Repeat on other side.

All stretches should be held for 15 seconds and repeated 3 times each side twice per day.  The stretches should not hurt excessively.  You will feel a mild discomfort which is normal in stretching a tight muscle.

Happy stretching and until next time, have a great month!!

Dr. Pete

p.s. these exercises are found on my web site at www.moore-chiropractic.com.

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