From hunched back to walking like a duck: Stand up straight if you want to stay young
By Peta Bee
Last updated at 12:54 AM on 4th October 2011
Stand up straight! It’s the cry of generations of mothers — and they were right to nag. Not only is poor posture ageing, but it can contribute to pain and immobility.
Here, PETA BEE guides you through the most common postural problems and asks leading experts for the best ways to avoid and tackle them...
The most common change in posture as we get older is that our bodies gradually revert to the foetal position
ROUND SHOULDERS
The most common change in posture as we get older is that our bodies gradually revert to the foetal position: the head and shoulders shift forwards, the chest curls inwards and the spine crunches from a healthy S-curve to a less healthy C-position as the pelvis tilts forward.
The main cause is weak abdominal muscles from years of sitting in a hunched position.
This places uneven pressure on the discs — the cushioning pads — between the bones of the lower back, over time causing them to become compressed and painful.
‘If you look around, you see many people over 50, particularly women, who are starting to develop this stance,’ says Carolyn Hewison, physiotherapy manager for the Nuffield group of hospitals and an expert in postural issues.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: ‘By middle age we have often developed such poor postural habits that our body and brain have simply forgotten where things should be,’ says Ms Hewison.
She advises standing up straight several times a day with your back to a wall, heels against the skirting board and your shoulders and the back of your head touching the wall.
More...
- They beat colds faster and don't get ill as often: Why it's WOMEN who are the stronger sex
- Thousands of us are hiding our misery behind a happy mask. Could YOU be a victim of smiling depression?
‘Try to maintain the position as you walk away,’ she says. ‘The more often you do this, the more accustomed your abdominal and back muscles become at providing the necessary support.’
Sammy Margo, of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, also recommends a sitting exercise to stretch out the chest muscles.
Sit on a chair with your feet hip-width apart and elbows tucked into the waist. Your hands should be on your knees with the palms facing upwards.
Breathe in and sit up straight, keeping the neck relaxed. Breathe out, gently pulling your navel to your spine.
Breathe in again and, keeping the elbows at the waist, draw your forearms out to the side to open out the chest. Repeat several times a day.
SPLAYED FEET
The reason older people often walk with their feet turned out like a duck is to stay balanced.
As the muscles that wrap around the abdominal area to support the spine weaken with age, your ability to stay steady on your feet is reduced.
Some people compensate by turning the feet and toes outwards in a subconscious attempt to provide better support for the body, says Ms Hewison.
‘Stiffness in the hips can also cause people to adopt a splayed out walking style. Foot problems such as bunions can make matters worse by forcing you to alter the way you walk.’
WHAT YOU CAN DO: It’s never too soon to start strengthening the abdominal muscles and Pilates is perfect for this, says Ms Hewison.
Calf raises (lifting up onto the balls of your feet as if you are putting on high heels) can also help to improve walking style by strengthening muscles in the lower legs.
Gym exercises to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles can be helpful, too.
Or try the lower back raise: lie face down with legs stretched out and toes pointing downwards. Push your hips into the floor and rest your forehead on the floor. Place the palms of your hands on your buttocks and breathe in. As you exhale, raise your upper body slowly off the floor in a controlled movement. Hold briefly before lowering back down. Repeat the lift three to five times.
HUNCHED BACK
From the age of 25 on, all of us suffer from sarcopenia - a gradual loss in muscle mass. An average one fifth of a pound of muscle is lost a year
A hallmark of old age, the so-called dowager’s hump, or kyphosis, is characterised by a rounded, upper back, sometimes with a visible hump. Shoulders are usually hunched forward.
‘It’s caused by a partial collapse of the spine due to compression of the vertebrae in the upper back,’ says Dr Tom Crisp, a sports physician and lower back expert at the Barbican BUPA medical centre, London.
‘Often it is a result of osteoporosis and the fractures that can cause.’
Another problem is that from the age of 25 on, all of us suffer from sarcopenia — a gradual loss in muscle mass. An average one fifth of a pound of muscle is lost a year.
Beyond the age of 50, the process speeds up, causing a loss of up to 1lb of muscle a year. Studies suggest sarcopenia is a risk factor for osteoporosis and postural problems such as a curved spine.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: ‘You can lessen the risk of getting a hump just by being active from as young an age as possible to slow the rate of bone loss linked to osteoporosis,’ says Dr Crisp.
‘Bone mass peaks at the age of 30, and there is a gradual decline after that. However, there is evidence that you can stem the drop in bone mass by keeping the muscles that support the spine fit and healthy.’
Some weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, aerobics or skipping, is important, says Dr Crisp. But so is resistance or strength-training — try working out with Dynabands (large elastic exercise bands) or Swiss Balls, both of which can strengthen bones, ligaments and muscles.
There is no means of preventing sarcopenia completely, but the latest research suggests the best preventative measure is regular weight training.
‘Muscle function can improve — sometimes robustly — with resistance training, even after the onset of sarcopenia,’ says Robert Wolfe, a professor of geriatrics at the University of Arkansas and a leading expert in this area.
‘It’s far more effective to begin it before the process gains momentum and to start at the age of 40, but it’s never too late.’
Rather than lifting just a few light weights every so often, Professor Wolfe recommends a high intensity of effort (70 per cent of the maximum weight someone perceives they can lift) a couple of times a week for 15 to 30 minutes, with exercises for all the major muscle groups.
STIFFNESS
The loss of that youthful S-curve in our spine is often down to reduced mobility in the hips and pelvic area. As a result, the body becomes stiff, rigid and appears old.
‘Elastic tissue in the ligaments disappears as we get older,’ says Dr Crisp.
‘That, combined with the accumulation of minor injuries to joints over the years will compound stiffness.’
WHAT YOU CAN DO: ‘Move about more often,’ is Dr Crisp’s simple prescription.
‘Make a rule to yourself that you won’t stay in the same position for longer than 20 minutes.
‘Exercise lubricates the joints and is the best preventative medicine for postural problems.’
When sitting on soft chairs or a sofa, consciously tip your pelvis forward and sit up as high as you can, says Ms Hewison.
‘This will help to retain a nice S-shaped curve of the spine. Placing a foam roll in the curve of your spine can also help when you are sitting for longer periods, for example, when driving.’
Hula hooping helps keep the pelvic area and lower back mobile and flexible.
Swimming also strengthens muscles, particularly if you vary the strokes you use.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2044867/From-hunched-walking-like-duck-Stand-straight-want-stay-young.html#ixzz1ZvLglBBA
ADVERTISEMENT: www.SpinalQ.com , rehab jacket, posture Jacket, posture brace, Spinal que, Spinal Q, TOS, TLSO, L0456, www.L0456.com, Q Brace, Spinal Q Brace, alignment brace, improve your posture and improve your life. www.spinalq.com www.qbrace.com www.rehabjacket.com spinal q, spinalq, qbrace, q brace, rehab jacket, TLSO, L0456, posture jacket, Posture brace, improve your posture, spinal que, www.L0456.com , dewall, Posture Protector, DPP, L0430 www.spinalq.com www.qbrace.com www.rehabjacket.com spinal q, spinalq, qbrace, q brace, rehab jacket, TLSO, L0456, posture jacket, Posture brace, improve your posture, spinal que, www.L0456.com , Dewall Posture Protector, DPP, l0430, www.L0430.com , spinalq, spinal q, Rehab Jacket, Posture Brace, Improve Posture , Posture Bra, L0456
No comments:
Post a Comment