Standing do’s and don’ts

I’m going to start this blog by answering a question that I got:

Q: “I tend to stick my bum out which arches my back. What alignment should my pelvis be and how can I keep it that way?”

A: I know what are you talking about, as I was the same!

Looking at the image that would be scenarios 4 or 5. The “arching” of the back means that the natural curve of the low back (lordosis) is exaggerated by either tilting the pelvis forward, or tilting the ribcage back (chest forward, shoulders back), or a combination of both. This results not only in “arching” of the back, but it also prevents the core from optimally functioning and supporting the spine and the body. In this video I am talking about the alignment of the pelvis in relation to gravity (that is, when seating), but it applies to standing too – only in standing, we have to consider the feet and legs as well.

So let’s look at the image.

Scenarios 1 and 2 – Pelvis over knee, over heel, with the weight of the body predominantly over the heels. That is the “ideal” standing alignment up to the pelvis. This is also a great weight-bearing exercise for the hip joint - contributing to hip bone density. When the leg is vertical, the hip joint experiences the greatest load, hence the greatest osteogenesis (formation of bone).

TROUBLESHOOTING

Q: “But I can’t stand with my legs vertical, because it feels like I’m going to fall backwards”.
A: That’s right, because the back of your legs (calves and hamstrings) shorten from sitting and wearing shoes with elevated heels and then loose the strength to hold the weight of your body. This creates a habit of scooting the pelvis forward (scenario 4) which further shortens and weakens them. It also puts more weight at the front of your feet which can contribute to foot pain, neuromas, bunions etc, AND arches your back, creating greater than normal compression of the vertebrae.

What is the solution?

1. Be aware of your body in space. The mirror is your best friend.
2. Start by moving your hips (the top of the leg) back over the heels, only going as far as comfortable, and spend short periods of there, so that your muscles and brain get a chance and time to adjust. Stretch the calves (link) a few times a day. Be patient.
3. Decrease the time you spend in calf and hamstring shortening positions (sitting, wearing shoes with heels) to give your muscles time to recover and change.

That’s in short for the lower body. What about from the waist up?

Many people think that a god posture is “chest up, shoulders back”. I agree that looks good, probably because of the natural appeal of a healthy body with an open chest and shoulders. However these should be relaxed and not forced.

What most people do when they want to look more “upright” is to simply rotate the ribcage up and suck the belly in – Scenario 5. Unfortunately this creates a lot of unnatural tension in the low back, upper back, shoulders and neck, greater pull on the connective tissues of the core, displacement of the diaphragm, and others.

What to do instead? Keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis, relax the belly, and work independently on your shoulders, arms and core.

Q: How long should I stand for? (if you choose to be standing instead of sitting, eg at your desk).
A: Until you can maintain a good form.

If you lean forward for prolonged periods of time, your upper body is trying to help you support the weight of your body – a job that your (vertical) legs and glutes should do. If in addition to that you also shift your weight to one side and stand on one leg, you are actually using the connective tissue of your ligaments (in the hip and knee in this case) to share the load too. These are all perfectly good and natural positions for the body, but not for long stretches of time (scenarios 3 and 6). So if you find yourself a lot in these unusual postures, know it’s time to rest.

Whatever you do, don’t force your body into an unnatural (or unattainable for you, for now) position for longer than you can comfortably maintain. This will fry your nervous system and hinder progress, or even willingness to continue.