Do you suffer from various aches and pains, but don’t know what causes them? There’s a chance you might have a condition called swayback posture. Swayback is a stance involving the incorrect alignment of the pelvis and a curved lower back. It’s best fixed once detected because it causes back pain, muscle tension, disk bulges, headaches, and arthritis.
How to identify the swayback posture
Physiotherapist Mark Wong suggests people take a side snapshot of themselves to decide whether they have swayback posture. The swayback happens when the pelvis is in front of the midpoint of gravity. You’ll notice your pelvis tilts forward in the photo if there’s a problem. With the ideal stance, your hip bone, ankle bone, and shoulder bone would align if you drew a line down through the picture.
What causes swayback?
Swayback may stem from one of several causes. Slumping at your desk as opposed to sitting with a straight-back can result in a bad posture, as can ligament laxity, being overweight, and tight or overactive hamstrings. Genetic factors, sleeping on your stomach, or not stretching can be to blame too. Whatever the cause, don’t panic as you can remedy the condition.
How to fix swayback
Sit straight
Buy a chair wedge that tilts your back into the correct position. Wedges come in different widths, and you may benefit from starting with a slight angle and work up to a larger one. Your back might ache when you first use it, so pace yourself.
How to stand and sit
If you have a poor posture, your natural urge when moving to sit and stand may be to keep your back straight, or lean back, and not bend at the hips. You might also use your hands to push yourself out of a chair or hold the arm of a chair as you sit. Correct the issue by bending forward so your nose is over your toes when you stand after sitting in a chair. Also, bend at the hips so your bottom sticks out when you sit.
Hip flex
Sit on a stool or chair with your back straight. Lift one knee and hold the position for five seconds. Repeat the exercise with the opposite knee, and continue, alternating each knee for two minutes.
Hip extension
Stand straight and extend a leg backward until you notice the muscles in your buttock contract. Maintain the position for five seconds and alternate legs for twenty repetitions each. The tips of your toes should touch the floor as you hold your leg back, and it’s important to remain upright and not twist your body.
Fix your thoracolumbar junction
Tennis ball exercises
Lie on your back with a tennis ball beneath your mid to lower back and apply pressure with your body weight on the ball. Continue for two minutes.
Release your tibialis anterior
Sit on the floor and place a tennis ball under the part of your lower leg furthest away from you. Apply pressure to the ball while drawing circles in the air with your ankle. Repeat using the other leg, spending about one minute on each.
Poor posture can cause many health problems, since your body is out of alignment. Carry out the exercises mentioned and sit and stand well to fix the condition. If you need more help, visit a physiotherapist who will offer more exercises to improve your posture.
References: Posturedirect.com, and Verywell.com.
