to slump or not to slump

Hello beautiful friends,

It's a daily struggle, not to slump. I understand. It's not easy to keep your chest upright. We're all a little (well, a lot) guilty of spending our days looking down - at our phones, computers and simply at the ground beneath our feet, especially if you're like me and walk barefoot in the national park where the ground is uneven and strewn with roots and stones.

We're also constantly bending and lifting. With all this forward action, it's no wonder it becomes harder and harder to maintain our chest upright.

What's really interesting too is that Nature has virtually designed us to slump! Yes, you read that correctly. Here's how...

The Anatomical "Slump"

There are small facet joints throughout the spine that sit either side of the vertebral column and connect one vertebrae to another. They also determine the direction of movement.

In the thoracic spine most of the facet jonts are orientated in a way to provide ample range of rotation. Rotation is the primary movement of the thoracic spine.

When it comes to the lower two vertebrae however, the facet joints change direction, allowing those vertebrae to flex and extend more than all the thoracic vertebrae above. How much we use the flexion here, is the difference between an upright chest and a slumped one.

With repeated flexion at this level of the spine, over and over again in sitting and when lifting, eventually we lose the ability for these joints to extend (bend backwards). It's simple mathematics. Too much flexion and not enough extension and you end up flexed with a permanently overly rounded chest and an overarching propensity to slump.

“Neutral Spine” is the key to maintaining beautiful posture, long-term healthy mobility and a high level of function for life. That will be the topic for my next newsletter. Meanwhile read on for the first two essential practices that you can do now to beat the slump.

The Two Essentials to Reverse Slumping

1. Firstly we must maintain or regain our ability to extend the spine backwards through the lower thoracic spine (and lumbar spine). Read on for the best exercise to do.

2. As a posture specialist I've also learnt that mobility isn't enough. Most people also need to do a little mind-body reprogramming to reverse their habit of slumping. You may be successful at stretching and mobilizing your lower thoracic spine back into a healthy range of extension, but if you don't consciously practice sitting correctly and reaching without bending your spine, your exercises will be ineffective. So the second ingredient is to reprogram your mind-body patterning to reverse the habit of slumping.

Start practicing now. To the best of your ability keep your chest upright as you sit, reach, bend and lift. I'll expand on this too in the next Blog as we explore Neutral Spine.

And practice this exercise daily until you've mastered not slumping.

Supine Thoracic Extension

The exercise I'm describing here is a passive extension of the thoracic spine performed laying on your back. There are active exercises you can do to mobilise your thoracic spine too however, I recommend that you always include this passive stretch because prolonged passive stretching creates adaptation in your connective tissues and increases their elasticity.

Marinating in a stretch for a prolonged time is what brings about permanent change.

Supine Thoracic Extension is best done when you're warm, like after a walk or anytime from mid to late morning onwards, when your body has been moving for several hours. Perhaps the best time is in the evening.

Method:

(i) Place a pillow and either a rolled towel or a pool noodle on the floor. (A foam roller is too severe).

(ii) Position yourself on your back with your head on the pillow and your lower four ribs directly over the towel or noodle.

(ii) Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground.

(iv) Place your arms in "cactus pose" (shoulders and elbows at 90 degrees) on the floor and raise them as high as you're able to keeping your entire arms, forearms and hands on the floor. If you have shoulder discomfort you may need to take the arms lower than 90 degrees. Find a comfortable position with your palms facing upwards.

(v) Remain laying here for 2 - 10 minutes. Start with 2 minutes and slowly build up the time you spend over a week or two, to the 10 minutes.

I personally find this exercise highly enjoyable. It's a lovely way to relax, reflect, take stock of the day and enjoy a moments quietude at the end of the day. I hope you'll enjoy it too and it finds a place in your daily or regular body maintenance and self-care.

Perform this exercise every day until you feel a difference. Are you able to lift your chest up more easily? Can you feel an increase in the range of spinal extension here? Is your posture improving?

Slumping is an insidiously destructive habit that leads to an abundance of detrimental effects which cascade down and rise up over time to affect the entire spine. If you know you're a slumper, make a change now. Don't let it bring you down. You'll never regret having changed your posture for the better. It's always a win-win.

As always, I'd love to hear how you go and don't hesitate to email me any questions you might have.

In freedom and joy,