Postural solutions - it’s all about angles

Please read the blog and then join in with above video

This week offers a guide to seated and standing posture and how a minor adjustment to the angle of your body makes a huge difference. Success lies in knowing how to do two key movements… ankle hinge and hip hinge. And then to find your best angle.

Here’s a present moment question:

What degree of angle is your spine at right now?

If you are sitting or standing with posture straight (so that your spine is parallel to the walls) then you are at zero degrees. If you are leaning into a typical office chair then you are probably somewhere between three and eight degrees reclined to the back (perhaps more if using a sofa).

As for a standard dining room chair, well most are designed with a seven degree angle. Car seats are about the same but, of course can be changed.

However, in terms of good body ergonomics, I would like to see you sit with a spine that is actually a degree or two forward.

And, for much of the time, that you do not use a back support at all and are a little hinged at the hip joints. An exception is driving but you might find that over time, you can gradually straighten the seat-back so it’s less reclined (note: you might need to adjust your mirrors).

What about standing?

Well, it’s the same with standing... to be a little forward, but this time it’s from the ankle joints. And whether standing at your desk, stirring your soup or waiting for the bus, I would advise alternating between these three options:

• Standing mostly on one foot with the other set slightly back. You can subtly rock back and forth from here.
• Then, for awhile, have your weight more equal on both feet before…
• Shifting your weight so that other foot is now dominant.

Note: We covered this a couple of weeks back and the full blog can be found here (with six minute video about using a standing desk). Also, ergonomics video 18. 

Of course, now and then you can hip hinge and throw in some standing cat-cows and nice hamstring stretches (just be careful not to face plant into that soup)!

One more thing to consider which applies to standing desk work is to use a foot stall or ottoman (pouffe) that you can put one foot on at times. Your spine and SI joints will likely love the asymmetrical stance that is both staggered and raised. All this is all covered in the above video.

Old advice sticking around

The traditional medical modal of good posture (that gets passed down to body-workers, posture coaches and many Pilates/yoga schools) draws a line through the side of body (ankle to ear) to match a linear plumb line. Sounds like a plausible concept for good posture but this modal was (at least in part) based on cadaver studies and not on living, moving, breathing humans, in the vertical world!

One of my movement coaches sees things differently. Judith Aston (link here) observed that a body that aligns to a plumb puts weight back on the heels. This does not set you up for optimal posture, a sound gait or in fact any movement. (Running backwards would be an exception to this)!

If you stand, sit and move totally upright (or worse still, leaning back) then you risk:

• Compression of your spine
• Exaggerated curves of the spine
• Tight hip flexors
• Weak glutes and
• A forward head posture!
• Judith says “we have forefeet for a reason… so let’s use them”!

When seated - a slight forward lean is from the hip joints. Then, from a neutral pelvis your spinal curves are set up.

From standing - the hinge is from the ankles. Only then can you feel your forefeet and toes on the ground. 

And even just one to three degrees can be enough to reduce tension, activate your core and to set you up for greater efficiency and reduced tension.

The postural cue that throws good alignment out the window

Aligning hips and ankles is not the full picture and a very common postural imbalance is when the lower body (ankles to pelvis) go to a nice (slight forward) angle but the upper body leans back (especailly when standing). This happens when people try to correct a stooping posture and round shoulders… 

And I’’m sure you’ve heard this line a lot…

“put your shoulders back and down”

The problem is that this sends the thoracic spine behind. To avoid falling over, that person has to push their hips and head further forward. This is the opposite of good alignment! (All this is covered in the above video).

Making kind changes

Below is a simple three part sequence for when it all goes wrong. In any moment you notice your posture has slipped, well done… you’ve become aware! From then, it’s not about “correcting” but rather further “recognising” your body and gently steering it back to optimal. My suggestion is to try these three things:

1 Pause - Stop what you’re doing and if safe to, close your eyes. Take a moment to be exactly how you found yourself without changing. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds to notice what’s happening physically and mentally. (This approach takes us back to a write up three weeks ago when we discussed honouring your starting point).

2 Breathe - With eyes still closed, take a few breaths, again just as you are. You can forgive yourself if you are slouched or holding your body tense… it happens to us all and the very act of awareness begins the magic of transformation!

3 Move - Gently move your body. If seated try out some pelvic rocking and spinal stretches. If standing, do a few forward bends before extending up. In both cases, also stretch your arms above your head and shake out your wrists. This will bring your body back to neutral in a calm and natural way.

I believe this listening and more kind approach to postural change will lead to better short and long term outcomes. It’s the opposite to the teacher, parent or coach yelling at you to:

“Stand up straight and pull your shoulder’s back” 

More tips for good ergonomics

Some of the points below reaffirm a recent focus on using a standing desk (blog with video here). 

To help keep your posture natural and neutral, be sure to match your environment to your body and not force your body to contort to the environment/device. When I teach postural ergonomics in offices, the first thing I encourage is that the boss purchases a few props. It’s the same if you’re the boss!

Here are seven ideas:

1. Use a computer ‘riser’ to so that you can adjust your desk top, lap top or tablet to be at eye level rather than looking down. This also allows you to alternate between sitting and standing.
2. When standing, play around with with weight shifting and do try that foot stool tip.
3. Use firm seat wedges help to raise low chairs and rock the pelvis slightly forward so that the spinal curves can align.
4. Use a scatter cushion when on a sofa (usually best around the mid to upper back and not the lumbar).
5. To help neutralise the bucket seat of modern cars, look into the Aston back wedge (link) and seat wedge (link).
6. With your spine aligned, you have a great internal support. So, there really is no need for a back rest. So why not give your fancy office chair to a friend and buy an adjustable stool?
7. Or consider a large and well pumped up gym ball as these help keep your core muscles active and you have a ‘ready-to-go’ stretch device!

One more thing…,\ be sure to make gradual changes so that your vision can adapt to your new posture.

Summary

For this week, your mission is to be aware of the angle of your body. For much of the time that you are seated, that you have a micro hinge at your hips. Then, when standing and with any movement, that you hinge at the ankles. Try it out now, with the above video.

Also, how could you implement some of those seven tips today?

Thanks for reading

Take care

Danny

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