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6/1/2015 3 Comments

"Good Posture" Myth-Busting! Or, Stop Pulling Your Shoulders Back

My tip for today is inspired by a fantastic post by my fellow Restorative Exercise Specialist and yoga teacher, Jenni Rawlings: "Is the Cue 'Pull Your Shoulders Back' Helpful?" I love Jenny's blog and this topic is one of my favorites. 

Breaking the "shoulders back" habit put an END to the upper back pain I experienced for years and helped me finally begin to make progress healing the diastasis recti (overly separated abdominal muscles) I dealt with after my daughter was born.  

It's time to bust some Posture Myths! 

Do you have a habit of pulling your shoulders back in an effort to have "good posture"? This cue is so common in our culture that we don't often think about whether it actually carries any anatomical benefit. I know that I diligently did this for years without realizing that it was far more harmful to my body than helpful!

When we pull our shoulders back, we typically 
compress our lumbar spine, flare our ribcage, inhibit our breath, and create a LOT of tension between our shoulder blades.Habitually pulling the shoulders back also increases the risk of developing diastasis recti, or overly separated abdominal (six-pack) muscles, especially if you are pregnant or postpartum. 


Today, instead of pulling your shoulders back, just allow them to relax. You may notice how much less discomfort you feel in your back, and how much more full your breath is.

If your shoulders feel "slumpy" or rounded in this relaxed position, no worries! It's just a signal that you (aka EVERYONE) could benefit from some gentle stretching of the muscles on the front of your chest - particularly your pectoralis. We do so much with arms out in front of us that these muscles become very tight. 

More on what you can do to create more fluidity and range of motion in your shoulders next time!
3 Comments
Kerry
9/24/2015 04:53:21 pm

Hello Vanessa! And oooh I love this post, for the helpful info and great cues/reminders! Thanks for making your splendid blog available to us all!

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Vanessa link
9/25/2015 06:24:28 am

Hi Kerry! Thank you for your kind words!! We miss you over on the All About Alignment page! However, I totally get the need for a FB detox. :-) Hope you're having a fantastic fall! xoxo Vanessa

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Kerry
9/26/2015 12:54:01 pm

Thanks Vanessa - you too! Oh, the FB detox (painful as it still is - I miss you folks like crazy) is allowing me time to move more, and explore more on the internet, including super info like your bunion blog post, with the BEST FOOT MASSAGE EVER!!! It's thrilling to find your work out here, and so so fabulous! Woot woot!!! xo xo




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    Vanessa Gengler
    Welcome! I'm a Restorative Exercise Specialist™ and Certified Personal Trainer.
    I help people align their bodies, move well, and be pain-free.

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