Am I Going Up Or Down? Posture Alignment And Height

Why is it is considered normal that as people become older, they become shorter? What about those walking around with really good posture; the posture they had in their teens, 20s, and 30s, even though they’re now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s? Normal thinning of the discs between individual spinal vertebrae accounts for one half to one inch of height loss over a person's lifetime. Anything beyond that, however, indicates declining posture. Posture alignment has two rules of thumb: One is that as posture alignment deteriorates, you lose the ability to move in lateral flexion (or pure side-to-side movement). Secondly, your body’s overall height gets shorter as you chronically contract due to the excessive sitting now pervasive in society. If you are within a half inch of when you were 20 years old, you likely still have good posture. Think of an “old” person. Doesn’t your vision usually begin with them being stooped over?

Youth is posture. People who stand up straight move easily and more efficiently, have less pain when moving, and use more of their total lung capacity. They are capable of greater range of motion and flexibility, and their joints suffer less wear and tear; their good posture alignment enables them to get around better at a more advanced age.

We often observe that the elderly have little energy. Try this, as you are likely sitting while reading this: Bend over in your chair and try to take a deep breath. Tough, isn’t it? Now sit up straight and do it again. Feel the difference? Try walking bent or stooped over for a few minutes (the posture many of us are in when sitting), and immediately you will see how much more energy is necessary just to get across the room. Many elderly are tired, in part, from the inefficient way they move. We can see further evidence of this at the other end of the spectrum, with athletes. What do you think is the biggest difference between them and us? It’s not their training, nutrition, or gene pool as much as their posture. They have perfect posture (or close to it) and are totally efficient when they move; they waste nothing.

Another reason we get shorter is that gravity is always pulling the body down, a constant force throughout life. So, posture governs your ability to move reasonably well without a lot of pain, in a coordinated manner that makes pain-free activity possible. But you can start improving the movement you have by lightly shaking your body. Think of an animal coming out of the water and shaking itself off. Shaking is similar: It activates your built-in human instinct to stretch and acts to reset your posture. Don’t underestimate the recuperative power of your body to improve your posture alignment. Posture problems can be reduced by stretching out and lengthening your body. If you have been sitting a long time, simply lie on the floor and first lengthen out one leg and then the other while stretching your arms overhead in the opposite direction. Posture training is aided further by imaging balloons holding you up as you stand and walk. Many posture problems can be avoided by retracting or tucking your chin so your head is not so far forward of your trunk. Do you know that for every inch you carry your head forward, you effectively double the weight of it? Vary the position of your chair, desk, and computer so you provide some variety to your posture alignment.

You can work smarter instead of harder. So, when was the last time you measured yourself?

By: Will Nelson

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Will Nelson is an author, public speaker, personal trainer, massage therapist, and life coach. As a Life Performance Specialist, he has created an on-line 7-day and membership program (see it at www.Vitalogy.com) and developed two courses, the VitalBody and the VitalMind. His company, www.WillNelsonVitalogy.com teaches personal empowerment through lifestyle management. E-mail him at: Will@Vitalogy.com. Copyright Will Nelson 2010. All Rights Reserved.