Back pain? Neck ache? How your posture can affect your health.

‘The way we live is destructive to the body’ - Vanda Scaravelli, Awakening the spine

Did you know our spinal column is associated with practically every activity of our body? Yet, in our modern lives, we neglect to look after our back health. If you ache after a day at your desk, or struggle to turn to put on a car seatbelt - or to look over your shoulder, there is a chance you need to awaken your spine.

Poor posture causes a whole host of ailments from back, shoulder or neck pain, headaches, trouble breathing, digestive issues to joint integrity, reduced flexibility and trouble balancing and walking. It is thought that approximately 95% of the population suffers from varying degrees of irregular spinal curvature due to poor posture. 

And poor posture is not just bad for our health but bad for our economy too. 

Each year 20% of us visit our GPs for a musculoskeletal condition and back pain treatment costing the NHS £1000 million/year and at least £10 billion for the UK economy [source]. In the US this figure rises to an estimated cost of $100bn a year [source] and a total productivity cost to business of $225.8 billion.

Maintaining a good posture, therefore, makes sense for our wellbeing – and wallets

What is posture?

Posture is how we hold our body, either when we are moving or when we are static. When we are not holding our body correctly, such as hunching over our computers or smartphones for example, we risk straining muscles and putting stress on the spine. Over time, without correction this can change the alignment of our musculoskeletal system - and even alter the shape of our spine. 

Good posture

Our spine has three natural curves - at our neck, mid back, and low back. Correct posture should maintain these curves, but not increase them. Our head should be above our shoulders, and the top of our shoulders should be over our hips.

‘The mind when housed within a healthful body, possesses a glorious sense of power’ - Joseph Pilates

Joseph Pilates was ahead of his time when he claimed good posture can only be successfully attained when the entire mechanism of the body is under perfect control. In the 1930s he devised a method of exercise aimed at maintaining a good, strong posture, called Contrology.

Contrology involves a complete coordination of the body, mind and spirit; not simply developing the body uniformly and correcting wrong postures, but restoring physical vitality, invigorating the mind and elevating the spirit. Today we know Contrology – and practise it - as Pilates.

The benefits of Pilates on posture and wellbeing

Pilates is a method of exercise that involves working our muscles from the inside out. For many of us this may mean changing the way our bodies have become accustomed to working due to our environmental pressures, lifestyle, occupation, stress and injuries. It is a full body conditioning workout that focuses on alignment, breathing and strengthening the deep core muscles. By helping re-educate the brain and how it controls the muscles (by adjusting the firing order in which muscles are recruited), Pilates focuses on correcting muscular imbalances, restoring good alignment and posture and bringing back homeostasis with our body. 

Invigorating the mind

In Pilates we work our body and engage our brain , generating the most possible benefit of each exercise. Joseph Pilates described it as ‘the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit’, practising each movement with full attention and reinforcing our mind-body connection.  He was definitely ahead of his time in promoting what we now know as physical intelligence - ‘the ability to detect and strategically influence the balance of chemicals in our bodies and brains’ [Physical Intelligence].

Getting started

It is never too late to take up Pilates and begin working on improving and maintaining our posture. However, it isn’t a quick fix and will take awareness, consistency and dedication.

How much Pilates do I need to do?
This depends on the time you have available and your personal goals. Joseph Pilates stated that the best results will be achieved by those who practise his method (i.e. his full routine) at least four times a week for three months. 

Whilst we will all see faster progress the more Pilates we do each week, taking the plunge and getting started is the most important first step.  It is likely that you will start to feel an improvement after 6 weeks of one session a week. I also notice that, often, those who regularly do one session a week are more likely to increase to two sessions once they start feeling the benefits and feel fitter, stronger and more confident. 

How long before I see the benefits?
The answer will vary depending on age, diet, and the amount (and quality) of Pilates you do each week. Joseph Pilates famously quoted: “In 10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a whole new body.” 

For all of us, it takes consistency and work. No one will see a change overnight and we will need patience as our muscle stretch and strengthen over time.

It is clear that the health of our spine impacts our wellbeing, quality of life - and wallet. Simple changes, such as making time to do Pilates (or yoga) each week, will soon start to bring even the smallest of positive changes to our posture - and to the way we feel, walk, play, and work. ♡

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Sources:

Awakening the spine – Vanda Scaravelli

Physical Intelligence - Clare Dale and Patricia Peyton

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-it-too-late-to-save-your-posture

https://fmpglobal.com/blog/the-back-breaking-cost-of-back-pain-in-the-us/

https://medlineplus.gov/guidetogoodposture.html