Spine

The spine has four natural curves— but they should be gentle and upright curves. A good spine should have the right balance of curves for best performance and to avoid strain on muscles and joints. When they are neither gentle nor upright, a variety of problems can occur. The most common abnormalities are kyphosis, lordosis, flat back, sway back, and scoliosis.

Figuring out whether you have a postural problem and deciding on treatment is best done with help. Consult a specialist, such as a qualified osteopath, chiropractor, physiotherapist, or a teacher of yoga or the Alexander technique.

Kyphosis

Kyphosis describes a spine with exaggerated outward and inward curves: the upper (thoracic) spine curves out too much—usually producing round shoulders, a flat chest, and an extended neck with the head coming too far forward; and the lower (lumbar) spine curves in too much, producing a hollow back. This is the most common postural problem, and it is often seen in people confined to a wheelchair, or who spend most of their time sitting.

Herbal Beauty

Kyphosis puts pressure on the lungs and compresses the digestive system. This can affect a person’s breathing capacity, sometimes leading to tingling and numbness in fingers from the shortage of oxygen to the tissues, asthma and other respiratory problems, and constipation, incontinence, and depression. Treatment for kyphosis should concentrate on deep-breathing and posture-correcting exercises, such as those shown opposite.

Lordosis

Lordosis is a posture in which the lower spine is curved excessively inward, and can be due to sitting too much or standing too long with the knees locked backward. It is associated with weak stomach muscles and tight back muscles.

To correct lordosis, stand “tall” but relax the knees—do not force them back. Stand with the pelvis tilted slightly forward, and the stomach muscles gently pulled in. Tuck the chin in. This will lengthen the back of the neck and help reduce the “poked forward” look. Exercises for strengthening stomach muscles will also help.

Flat Back

Flat back means largely what it says: the pelvis is tilted too far forward, there is no curve of the lower spine, and the muscles of the bottom are wasted, producing the characteristic flat look. It is also common for people with flat backs to have round shoulders.

To correct a flat back posture, whenever you sit down, straighten your legs out in front of you. This will not only stretch your hamstrings, which are usually tight in this condition, but help accentuate the curve of the lower back. Also clench the muscles of your bottom as often as you can to help strengthen them. A lumbar support cushion or roll is also beneficial. These are available from a variety of sources, including mail order.

Sway Back

In a sway back posture, the entire lower back, including the pelvis and upper thighs, is held forward, so that the upper body appears to lean backward. The shoulders are usually rounded and the chin stuck out. It is a posture common in people who are very flexible, and the cause is mainly weak hips. It is sometimes mistaken for lordosis, though it is quite different.

To correct sway back, transfer your body weight onto the balls of the feet rather than the heels when standing, and pull your chin in. This lengthens the neck and lifts some of the weight off the hips. You will also need to do hip and buttock muscle-strengthening exercises.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature or twist of the spine, and is usually the result of habitually poor posture, though it can be inherited. The effect is the same as if you stand with your full weight on one foot and force your shoulders in that direction without actually turning. It is common in varying degrees in many people and characteristically produces different leg lengths.

In severe cases, a special lift fitted into a shoe will help the problem (though it should be done by a qualified person, such as an osteopath), but most people are not badly enough affected to need this sort of artificial aid, and can help themselves easily by regularly stretching the muscles of the hips and trunk. Try this before resorting to artificial aids, if possible. Cranial osteopathy can also help, but must be done by a specialist.

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