by Jennifer Luers

Created on: October 20, 2008   Last Updated: October 30, 2008

Growing up as a female teenager much taller than my peers, especially the boys, I developed a very un-natural posture. Over the years, I have learned that I am not the only one who has this problem. Many Americans spend the workday behind a desk, causing exaggerated spinal curves that lead to pain patterns. Think about it, did cave men sit around for 8+ hours a day? Some of us knowingly slouch; however there is another component that many are unaware of: the human brain. The brain continually monitors muscle tension and puts forth a lot of effort to keep the eyes level. If seated in a chair for extended periods, the brain notices that the quadriceps muscles have too much slack for the "fight or flight" response. The quadriceps muscles become short and tight and the hamstring muscles become overstretched and tight, ultimately leading to a forward-or anteriorly- tilted pelvis. A pelvis with a forward tilt should also have a torso tilting in the same direction. Instead, the brain recruits the lower back muscles to bring the trunk upright, thereby compressing the lumbar spine. People who sit on a wallet all day compound the problem by creating a shift within the pelvic bones, pushing one anteriorly while the other remains in a "neutral" position. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /

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A similar concept is seen with neck and shoulder asymmetry. As a society we are constantly reaching forward for the computer, steering wheel, kids, phone, etc. This too creates a muscle imbalance leading to pain in the neck and between the shoulder blades. The pectoral muscles (chest) and upper trapezius (neck and shoulders ) are short and tight while the rhomboids and mid thoracic postural muscles (upper and mid-back) become overstretched and tight. As the shoulders slump forward, the head follows. Muscles of the cervical spine are recruited by the brain to lift the head and bring the eyes level with the horizon, creating compression in the cervical spine.

How many people look at their posture from the side, or even realize how their forward tilted pelvis makes their stomach stick out? Forward slumped shoulders compound the problem by adding the weight of the upper body on top of the stomach. However, it is possible through postural exercises to look thinner without losing weight. Yoga, a stretching routine, working with a massage therapist and/or personal trainer who specialize in alignment will help balance the muscle tension asymmetry. In the case of an anteriorly tilted pelvis, stretching the lumbar erectors, psoas major (back) and quadriceps will help ease compression in the lumbar spine. However, it is important to keep in mind that weak muscles in the body permit the muscle asymmetry. The weak hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and abdominal muscles need to be strengthened to bring the pelvis back into a neutral position. In the case of neck and mid thoracic pain, strong upper back muscles help prevent the tight pectoral muscles from creating slouched shoulders. When the upper body is slouched forward, it further contributes to lower back pain because more weight is in front of the body than the back muscles should be supporting. The four curves of the spine are designed to work together, because the nerves controlling the major organs emanate from the spine. Studies show a 90% correlation between two vertebrae obstructing a nerve and a person eventually developing a disease in the organ associated with that nerve. Therefore, it is important to keep all of the curves healthy to maintain not just postural, but overall health.

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