Protect your Posture
The way we move day-to-day can impact our posture and specifically our muscle and joint loads.
One unsuspecting and often under-examined areas can be the thoracic and rib cage which is often impacted by poor posture.
Postures that can often lead to excessive thoracic and rib compression are:
Poked chin posture,
Forward slouching, and
Sitting away from your chairs backrest.
Unfortunately, with incorrect posture can place undue pressure along the rib cage creating compression on delicate joints (facet, costovertebral and costotransverse joints) and muscles (intercostals, pectoralis, diaphragm, serratus anterior, latissimus dorsi, and scalene).
Micro-posture breaks are strongly encouraged whilst incorporating gentle exercises below;
Breathing Exercises
These can be completed in various postures (sitting, standing and or lying on back),
Imagine you are growing long and tall in this position to lengthen up your spine,
Place both hands, each side of rib cage and breath in slowly filling up your lungs, breath in five times, slowly breathing out,
Change hand position, one hand on chest and belly, breath in slowly belly breaths five times.
Thread the Needle
Position yourself comfortably on four-point-kneeling keeping chin tucked in, and spine long,
Place right hand under left side gap, take a breath in,
As you raise your right hand up and over to ceiling, keep looking at moving hand and breath our.
Complete both sides three sets of eight reps.
Open Book
This is to be completed side lying, supporting your head with pillow or other hand,
When on side, take a breath in focusing on your ribs expanding,
Breath our as you move top hand over like an arch to the wall behind you, keep looking at top hand,
Complete on both sides three sets of eight reps.
These are ideal exercises to reduce any excessive and incorrect loading patterns along the thoracic spine and rib cage.
To build on these foundational exercises, our West Ryde Physio team can formulate an individualized exercise program to promote movement and provide posture protecting exercises.
Please feel free to call us on 9809 3854 for an appointment.