It's All About the Posture

Body: 

I just saw this on CNN.com

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/04/17/healthmag.back.pain/index.html

I am just now at the end (I hope!) of a 5-week long episode of low back pain. Not sure what I did, but no doubt my posture, pelvic issues and extremely busy lifestyle all contributed. I have just ordered an ergonomic kneeling chair - thank you, Callie for the suggestion - and I'm hoping never to go through this again. I have a tendency to slouch when I get tired, so I'm hoping that alternating between cross-legged and straddling seated positions and kneeling will help.

My best to all on the forum.

J.

Thanks for submitting this, Jean. I actually have Dr. White’s book, but it’s in storage at the moment. As I recall, it was unremarkable with the exception of his thoughts on keeping the spine straight from crown of head to tailbone (and at a 45-degree angle) when squatting to lift. Telling people to stand in a “relaxed, balanced manner” gets them out of military stance, but offers no instruction on how to pull the spine into it’s natural shape. It never occured to him, of course, just what that shape might be. The wholewoman posture does become very relaxed and balanced, but not without the work of building the musculature that supports these changes.

The rest of the suggestions in the article I found pretty meaningless, except the last one about increased pressure on the spine in seated positions. This is because the full use of the horizontal part of our spine is often compromised when seated. Sitting in a straddle allows the greatest forward sacral tilt.