When I teach a MELT (Myofascial Energetic Length
Technique) class, I always begin by talking the participants through an assessment
where I describe ideal alignment, and the participants are encouraged to evaluate
by comparing their self-perception to the ideal. I recently had a question
about this. Here it is:
“Why is it so important to be in ideal alignment?”
Sure, it looks look when somebody has good posture but
that is not the main reason.
When we are in good alignment (i.e. have ideal posture),
we have proper relationships within our musculoskeletal system and move the
ease and efficiency. Even slight deviations compromise this efficiency. For
example, if our head is a little forward, something in our body has to go
backwards to maintain the center of gravity. Thus we have shortened a muscle
somewhere and lengthened another to compensate. If we always return back to
ideal posture, then those relationships are restored to their proper length but
that usually does not happen.
We often stay in less than ideal alignment, and the result
is that compensations become permanent. The detrimental effects are not
immediately obvious, particularly when the deviations are slight. When we notice
it a lot is when we have an injury which causes us to limp for a while or if we
are immobilized in a cast. For one, it costs a great deal of effort to get from
point A to B. And it usually does not take long, and we notice that other parts
of our body begin to hurt. The lower back, for example, is often a victim of an
ankle sprain.
It is my belief that bad posture often starts as a bad
habit. Habitually carrying heavy objects on just one side (which includes small
children on just one hip), sitting in front of the computer with the head
jutting forward and slouching instead of sitting upright are just some
examples.
So: what can you do about it? First, notice it. It’s half
the battle. I am biased and believe that a MELT class is a great place to learn
about your posture. But a skilled
fitness professional can also help you identify imbalances and compensations
and design a program that can address them.
And now: head up, shoulders back and abs tight – just as
your mother always said!
