Copyright: Gary Moller 2013

www.garymoller.com

Restoring strength and good posture with exercise

There are four basic postures (refer diagram below). Almost without exception, we commence life with perfect posture that steadily deteriorates as we become adults and the ageing processes begin to take their toll. Poor posture is mostly the result of neglect and occasional injury. It almost seems inevitable that posture worsens with age. In many cases, poor posture may become a serious health concern in itself as nerves get pinched, the lungs and other organs are cramped and skeletal joints suffer excessive wear and tear. This need not happen. The purpose of this article is to explain the essential mechanics of posture and to show you how to correct and maintain good posture throughout life.

Strong, flexible spine. Firm, toned abdominal, buttock and back muscles.

Tight, weak neck, chest and low back muscles. Flat chest. Weak and stretched upper back and abdominals. Weak butt muscles, tendency to hyperextend the knees and badly pronating feet.

Poker spine that is inflexible. Weak tight muscles about the spine. Chest may be flat. Flat, weak butt. Tendency to hyperextend the knees and either pronating feet or high, rigid foot arches

Weak upper back and tight, flat chest, or excessively pouting. Protruding gut. Flat, weak buttocks. Tendency to hyper-extend the knees and badly pronating feet.

Copyright: Gary Moller 2013

www.garymoller.com

The body maintains its strength and structure via a complex lattice work series of triangles and rectangles, the largest and strongest being within the trunk region. As a biological structure, the rectangle is an inherently weak structure. In the human body the rectangles are made incredibly strong by the use of muscular triangulations, seen as the X in the diagram to the left. In fact, all of the skeletal muscles combine to form a complex lattice of triangulations. The most impressive set of triangulations is the muscular lattice work of the trunk. A strong lattice of trunk muscles, that are also flexible and durable, enable the spine to safely and effortlessly flex, extend, rotate and even to glide back and forth and sideways. The healthy spine is able to bear the loading of enormous weights when lifting and carrying. Almost every dynamic human movement involves a diagonal rotational action about the spine: running, walking, most swimming strokes, kicking, punching, throwing, batting, digging, vacuuming and even the action of turning a steering wheel and getting in and out of a car, or rolling over in bed. All of these actions are made extremely difficult and injury-ridden, if the diagonal muscles about the spine are weak. The most effective way to condition these muscles is to do diagonal movements. Diagonal and twisting actions tend to be neglected in favour of linear plane exercises that provide little in the way of short or long term relief. An example of a linear exercise is pushing a weight straight up to overhead. Please read my book on back pain which goes into more detail, including describing safe, yet effective exercise progressions for people who are seriously affected with low back pain.. Without a strong triangulation of muscles, the spine is extremely vulnerable to damage and you will tend to slump with age. Moreover, recovery after injury is seldom complete, if a strong and balanced musculature is not restored by the use of exercises that involve the full spectrum of rotation, extension and flexion. Exercises to develop or restore a strong triangulation about the spine are principally diagonal movements. Most gym machines and most free weights exercises are linear in action. Only a handful of exercise devises are diagonal in action. The best devices to use are pulley machines.

Copyright: Gary Moller 2013

www.garymoller.com

The restoration of normal movement and optimum trunk muscle strength is easier said than done, principally because the spine is easily re-injured or irritated by the very exercise that is designed to strengthen and mobilise it. But is can be done by starting off carefully with little in the way of resistance and gradually building strength and mobility over a dozen or more weeks. Pulleys are wonderful for restoring core strength and mobility about a weak or damaged spine. The following are the core exercises with a pulley machine to produce a strong and dynamic musculature about the spine. If you have access to a gym with pulley weights, see your personal trainer or fitness consultant about replicating these exercises in the gym. Tips If the muscles are particularly weak, or if you are still recovering from an injury, commence by holding onto one hand grip only with both hands. As confidence, strength and technique improve, try introducing both hand grips take your time: there is no need to hurry. If you are really having trouble with your back, do only the pull-downs to the hip initially. Keep the spine and shoulders straight. This means all of the movement is in the arms with the trunk muscles If the muscles are particularly weak, or if you are still recovering from an injury, commence by holding onto one hand grip only with both hands. As confidence, strength and technique improve, try introducing both hand grips take your time: there is no need to hurry. If you are really having trouble with your back, do only the pull-downs to the hip initially. Keep the spine and shoulders straight. This means all of the movement is in the arms with the trunk muscles contracting strongly to stabilise the spine. As you become stronger, you can gradually increase the range of movement, including controlled twisting of the spine. Refer Page 4 for several of my favourite pulley exercises.
Gary
Gary Moller Inter Clinical Laboratories Registered Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and Medical Nutrition Consultant
Academic Qualifications: DipPhEd, PGDipRehab, PGDipSportMed (Otago) Are we any good at what we do?: http://blog.garymoller.com/search/label/feedback%20-%20service More detail, including industry practitioner training: http://www.garymoller.com/About-us.aspx

Copyright: Gary Moller 2013

www.garymoller.com

Side Pulls
High and middle D rings Arms, shoulders, and back

Pull-downs to Hip
High D ring Arms, back and abdominals

Pull-downs to Ankle
High D ring Arms, back abdominals, butt and thighs

Shovels
Low, Medium and High D rings Arms, shoulders, abdominals and back