Lots of bones
maybe?
Plus...if you add on all the many muscles that move these and the ribs, shoulder blade and arm it is a pretty complex arrangement (only one is shown here, otherwise you wouldn't see below!).
With this in mind we can see why PT's/ Physios/ Parents/ Chiropractors nag us about the importance of posture....we need to keep all of this in the correct place!
Take a look again at all the bones and tendons surrounding the top of the upper arm:
If these are in the correct place, all the small muscles which run under the collar bone, around and over the arm and shoulder blades (Scapula) have room to move freely.
Now..imagine what happens when we slouch and/or lose strength in the muscles in the back, shoulder area etc. The bones
etc move out of place, and not just for a minute or two, for hours sometimes and this can
- reduce the areas the muscles have to move in between bones creating pinch points and
- put
stress on muscles as they have to work harder than they are designed for in a direction they are not set up to move in.
Without launching into an anatomy lesson, essentially what happens is muscles get 'pinched' and end up inflamed between the bones e.g. a rotator cuff issue or get inflamed and 'angry' as the body throws everything at the issue to pull you back into alignment...also add movement on top.
Imagine biting your tongue and then trapping it between your teeth for hour after hour..no wonder we get sore!
With slouching, the muscles at the chest and anterior (front) shoulder get tight and weak and therefore the muscles in the upper back get tired, angry and stretched as they work to compensate. Add stress on top of that and you have a perfect storm for upper back 'niggles', or worse!
What can we do then?
- Firstly, if you are in pain consult and Doctor and in turn a physiotherapist.
- Limit time in one position: as per previous
emails...become a fidget!
- Become obsessed with good posture: At first this may feel like hard work but the more we try to keep upright with our shoulder blades 'back and down' the easier it will get. As I flagged
before, find moments you do in the day where you check your posture i.e. whenever you look at your phone, indicate in the car, get asked yet another question by your two year old! Make it a game...your body will thank you.
- Learn mobility drills: Our arms are meant to be able to rotate nearly 180 degrees as our shoulder blades move freely around our upper back. It really is 'use it or lose it' when it comes to maintaining this so do shoulder and arm circles at every opportunity (although not on a busy train)
- Self Myofascial Release: Foam rollers and tennis balls are a fantastic way to self massage. More on this in coming emails..however, in the meantime, have a look online for some ideas (or hit reply and ask me).
- Deep tissue work: massage, acupuncture etc can work wonders to release tight areas. However, the issue will return without....
- Strength Training: This is the holy grail of a pain free body. A balanced program will strengthen all the muscles needed to keep you aligned. If you are getting to the gym the ratio of pulling to pushing exercises should be 3:1. Not only this, using the muscles forces joints, tendons etc to move outside the range of motion they are in for the majority of the day.
Ever notice how we can just pick up a 'niggle' seemingly out
of the blue (i.e. not an accident happened)?
Possibly, it seems to go away with rest...and maybe a drug etc.
However, more times than not it comes back again and often worse than before?
It is the positions we spend our day in that cause this. If we do what we have always done we will get what we always
got!
There is no way round this unless you change your movement template, increase your mobility and take charge of your posture. Do the work now and keep your shoulders happy for years.
Move better...add muscle and thrive,
J
