Could Good Posture Be Making Your Bone Health Worse?
- Brainz Magazine
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Annette Cashell, Holistic Movement Coach
Annette Cashell is a Holistic Movement Coach who helps women 40+ get rid of pain and/or build bone health so they can get back to doing the things they love. Annette has spoken on radio, podcasts, and corporate wellness webinars. She has also written articles for Thrive Global and featured in Katy Bowman's book 'Grow Wild,' 'Handbags, Turning Hope into Happiness' and the Irish Examiner.
If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis or have osteoporosis concerns, you might find yourself obsessing about your posture and whether it’s “good” enough. You know you shouldn’t spend so much time slouching, so standing to attention must be a good idea, right? This is a great question as "forward head" is such a common concern, and how we "fix it" has implications, not just for bone health, but for back, neck, hip issues, and even your pelvic floor! But the answer is more nuanced than you might expect; you see, how something looks (posture) is not the same as how something moves (alignment). In this article, a movement coach and fellow bone loss sufferer explains a better “good” posture approach that won’t hurt your bones!
Back when I had chronic neck pain nine years ago, I was constantly looking for ways to fix it. I spent loads of time, money, and nervous energy on any approach, but the nerve pain was unrelenting.
Not surprisingly, as a Pilates teacher, one area I got pretty obsessed about was posture. I got really good at catching myself in a slouched pose and immediately correcting myself by adopting the ‘standing to attention’ pose instead; you know, “shoulders back, chest out” like your mother used to (and maybe still does!) say.
But even though I was very good at catching and correcting myself, the pain didn’t improve. Some days it felt worse after correcting myself! I couldn’t figure it out.
It wasn’t until I started my additional training in natural movement that I realised how unnatural the ‘standing to attention’ pose is. Sure, it might look better than slouching in most people's eyes, but the pose doesn’t address the slouching that’s going on; it just displaces it!
That’s because the pressure between the spinal discs is still the same (or even worse in certain areas!) when standing to attention instead of slouching (and that’s not something you want if you have osteoporosis concerns!)
The best way to decrease the pressure between the individual spinal discs is to focus on lengthening the entire length of the spine first i.e. “standing tall” to allow for the natural curves of the spine, rather than just “standing to attention”, which moves a portion of the spine in a single block but doesn’t change the relative position of the individual discs.
Once the spine has been lengthened, you can use the steps below to gently coax the head back into a “better” position without creating more pressure on the discs.
I started to practice this new approach of standing tall, and I couldn’t believe the difference! Almost immediately, I felt some relief in my back and neck, and I was able to improve my core strength too substantially.
Nine years on, I’m still pain-free and moving well. Not only that, but I know that this improved alignment loads my hips more (for better bone health) and helps my balance at the same time (two more wins for osteoporosis sufferers!).
So, the next time you catch yourself slouching, try to resist the urge to “stand to attention” and fix it by standing “tall’ instead. Here’s how:
Firstly, imagine the entire length of your spine lengthening in opposite directions with your head as a helium balloon, floating and rising towards the ceiling without strain.
Now, place the tip of your index finger on the tip of your nose (I know, it’s weird, bear with me!)
Using the fingertips, gently push your head back, while keeping your torso still, your breastbone down, and dropping your chin a little as you do so. Imagine the back of your head traveling up a gentle uphill ramp. Do not force the movement; work within your range. If you’re doing it right, you will create a double/triple chin, that’s ok! (In fact, doing this exercise helps work against double chins in the long run.) You might feel the muscles in the front of your throat being gently activated.
The left image shows “forward head”. The right image shows my head in better alignment with my shoulder; my ear is still not directly above my shoulder (the ideal alignment) as I can't get there without forcing it, so it's not available to me yet!
One more thing: when you catch yourself slouching/forward head, rather than berating yourself, pat yourself on the back for noticing! Celebrating small “wins” is a much more positive ( and effective!) approach to making change and breaking bad habits, as espoused by BJ Fogg Tiny Habits. Try it and see!
Let's work together to make your bone health goals a reality
Are you ready to commit to improving your bone health with somebody who really gets it? Whether you're seeking personalised guidance, accountability, or just some extra motivation, I'm here to help you reach your goals, especially if you’re a woman 40+ dealing with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Get in touch today to schedule your free Discovery Call and take the first step towards a healthier, stronger, and more confident you. Ageing is inevitable; how you age is up to you!
Read more from Annette Cashell
Annette Cashell, Holistic Movement Coach
Annette is a Holistic Movement Coach with over 20 years of teaching experience. Ex-corporate and previous "active couch potato," she avoided a neck fusion operation through natural movement and now combines her expertise in Pilates and movement to help women get rid of pain and build bone health with corrective exercises and the environmental changes to support those exercises. She is constantly amazed at the body's ability to heal itself once given the space and guidance to do so. "Exercise is optional; movement is essential."
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