Steps to Better BY NICHOLAS BARBOUSAS

Five Steps to Better Posture BY NICHOLAS BARBOUSAS

FIVE STEPS TO BETTER POSTURE Nicholas Barbousas ACTIVE SOMA Phone: 1300 MY SOMA (697 662) Email: info@activesoma.com www.activesoma.com 2016 by Nicholas Barbousas All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permision of the author. The material provided in this publication can assist the majority. This information however is not intended as a substitute for professional care and advice. Only your healthcare provider can diagnose and treat medical problems. If any of the content provided causes pain or discomfort, then discontinue the activity and seek the advice of a recognised health care provider.

Contents Welcome... 4 Introduction... 5 Before you start... 6 How do you see yourself standing?... 7 The Feet... 9 Feet & Posture... 10 Feet Exercise... 11 Notes... 12 The Knee... 13 Knee Anatomy... 14 Knee Exercise... 15 Notes... 16 The Hip... 17 Hip Exercise... 18 Notes... 19 The Rib Cage... 20 Rib considerations... 22 Notes... 23 Shoulders & Arms... 24 Upper Extremity... 25 Shoulder Exercise... 26 Notes... 27 Head & Neck... 28 Considerations... 29 Exercise... 30 Notes... 31 A Final Note... 32 BONUS CHEAT SHEET... 33 Posture - Performance - Wellbeing Contact Information... 34 3

WELCOME Activ e Soma offers a unique and supportiv e process that systematically works to uncov er and treat Postural Imbal ances that can hinder our ability to mov e with ease; Relieving Pain and Discomfort. This guide is an introduction into some of the supportive processes that can be used in conjunction with our treatments. Understanding these basic priniciples of posture care can have a profound positive impact on the therapeutic process. These posture awareness strategies can be applied at any time of the day, providing a base from which you can begin your journey to improving your posture. Pleae Note: The material provided in this publication can assist the majority. This information however is not intended as a substitute for professional care and advice. Only your healthcare provider can diagnose and treat medical problems. If any of the content provided causes pain or severe discomfort, then discontinue the activity and seek the advice of a recognised health care provider. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 4

Your Introduction to BETTER Posture A balanced body is a study in patience The whole notion of perfect posture can drive us into a spin. Too often we rely on feedback from others or our reflection in a store window to affirm that we are doing OK. Does the cautionary whisper from a parent to not slouch really work? Or is it just a change for a moment in time before we lapse back into our comfort zone when the coast is clear? Understanding how you live in your body is an ongoing process that requires time and sometimes more than a little help from others. When considering the steps below, don t be too hard on yourself. Use this as a starting point in your inquiry and you may find yourself motivated to take your understanding to the next level seeking out a health care professional who focus on working with posture. Follow any links to our website and use this resource as a starting reference source. Refer to our introduction to anatomy and posture awareness as a way to begin your inquiry into this important and rewarding area of wellbeing. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 5

BEFORE YOU START Five Steps To Better Posture 1Relax your whole body. Give yourself some slack and take a pause from any doing activity. Try to let the images and movement come naturally. 2Don t force any movement. The moment you feel as though you are starting to impose yourself on the activity back off and try again. Allow the movement to occur gently and with as little force as possible. 3Allow yourself time to ease into your body. As already mentioned take your time and be more allowing of the movement. 4Finally, place no judgement on what is right or wrong, there is only how you do today. With every attempt at doing these steps you will find things a little easier. Your understanding of your body will become clearer, and you will find you become more aware than before. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 6

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF STANDING? A taste of what to look for... WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR POSTURE Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 7

FIVE STEPS TO BETTER POSTURE Below you will find a brief overview of the five steps. The pages that follow will provide a deepening of your understanding with related anatomy, further considerations, and visual cues that can guide your inquiry towards better understanding your posture needs. FEET Do you stand evenly and balanced on your feet? Balance between balls of big and little toe, and middle of heel. KNEES Are your knees moving straight ahead when walking? Imagine a piece of string pulling you forward from the kneecaps. PELVIS SHOULDERS & ARMS HEAD Does your pelvis swing gently from side to side when walking? Imagine your pelvis is not rigid and sense the freedom of movement. Do your shoulders sit comfortably upon your rib cage, or do they feel as though they are lifting to your ears? Allow your shoulders to gently ease down and forward with your arms resting evenly and easily by your side. Keep your hands soft. Is your head and neck balanced evenly between your shoulders lifting you tall? Imagine that a helium balloon is attached to the crown of your head via a piece of string. Feel the lift this will give you. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 8

THE FEET - ANATOMY Five Steps To Better Posture The foot is made up of 26 bones that interconnect with each other to create over 33 joints. Phalanges (14 bones) these are the toes of the foot, with each toe having 3 phalanges except for the big toe that has 2; Metatarsals (5 bones) Each metatarsal connects on toe to the tarsal bones; Tarsals (7 bones) They sit behind the metatarsal bones and form the arches of the feet. It is on one of these bones (Talus) that the lower leg connects to the foot. The many bones of the feet are kept in place by a complex interrelationship between the design of the bones and how they interact with their neighbours (to form the joints); the 100 plus ligaments that keep the joints in place; and, the long tendons of the major muscles that move, support, and keep intact the foots natural structural integrity. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 9

FOOT POSTURE - CONSIDERATIONS Function: The weight of the body falls into the ground via the legs, with the arches of the feet functioning as shock absorbers our first contact to the ground. Considerations: The foot is like a bag of marbles kept carefully and tightly in place. This bag like structure also allows the foot the capacity to move freely in several directions. Play with your own foot and see how it can move left, right, and in a full circle. You may be surprised to know that this is only possible with the joints of the foot working alongside the ankle. It is this interrelationship that allows us so many possibilities in movement yet it s this same system that can cause us so much grief. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 10

EXERCISE - FOOT POSITION Five Steps To Better Posture Find a point of balance between the balls of the big, the ball of the little toe, and the middle of heel. Do you stand evenly and balanced on your feet? When standing we place our weight on the balls of the big toe, little toe, and middle of the heel. Whether you are too far forward, back, or out to one side, your weight to some degree will fall through these points. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 11

- Notes - Posture - Performance - wellbeing 12

THE KNEES - ANATOMY Five Steps To Better Posture The Knee Joint The knee is made of the relationship between the Femur (thigh bone), Tibia (shin bone of the lower leg), and the Patella (knee cap). The two round bony ends of the Femur sit gently within the concave surfaces of the tibia (lower leg) and are held in place by several muscles and ligaments. The muscles and bones that make up the knee, both above and below should be balanced with minimal effort required to maintain an upright position. Front and back muscles of the leg should be evenly weighted with minimal muscular engagement. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 13

THE KNEES - ANATOMY Five Steps To Better Posture Whether running to the bus, playing ball, or just bending down to put on your shoes, the knee is always required to complete a range of complex movements, usually within milliseconds of each other and often with the full weight of the body from above. Knee movement includes Flexion (bending of knee), Extension (straightening of knee), and Rotation (only with the knee in a bent position). Posture - Performance - wellbeing 14

THE KNEES - EXERCISE Think of your knees as the headlights of a car, facing forward in the direction of movement. When standing can your knees aim straight ahead, or do they turn in or out? The knees are affected by what occurs above and below them. Once you find yourself balanced on your feet, focus on where your knees face. Gently, allow your knees to face forward. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 15

- Notes - Posture - Performance - wellbeing 16

THE HIP - ANATOMY The head of the Femur (thigh) sits deeply and firmly within the cup like socket of the Pelvis (Acetabulum). This is a necessary and clever structural and functional device, which limits misadventure occurring to such an important region through sudden or extreme movements. Our ability to support freedom and flexibility within the hip-joint is vital. Poor alignment of the femur with the pelvis can also force weight to fall poorly downward placing the knee, ankle, and arches of the foot in less than ideal arrangements a recipe for injury. Being at the centre of all activity, weight from above is transmitted to the feet and legs via the pelvis. Muscles attach to the pelvis from above and below creating a muscular connection that spans from the upper arm to the thigh making it important to maintain healthy muscles above, below, and within the pelvis key to overall postural wellbeing. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 17

HIP CONSIDERATION - EXERCISE Line up your feet and knees with the pelvis above. When standing do your hips lean across towards the left or the right, or can the pelvis sit comfortably over both your legs? Find a comfortable position at your pelvis where your lower back is allowed to gently curve forward naturally. Does your pelvis tip too far forward exaggerating the curve of your lower back or does it tuck under removing the curve all together? Posture - Performance - wellbeing 18

- Notes - Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 19

THE RIB CAGE - ANATOMY Good posture requires the alignment of the rib cage with the head above and the pelvis below. The Thorax (or Thoracic cage) consists of the ribs, thoracic spine, and sternum (breastbone). The ribs attach themselves to the thoracic spine on the back, and the sternum at the front. The ribs at the front have cartilage attachments to the Sternum, which allows for elasticity and flexibility. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 20

THE RIB CAGE - CONSIDERATIONS HOW CAN MY RIBS AFFECT MY POSTURE The ribs can be likened to the handle of a bucket. As you move the bucket handle the size and dimensions of the area enclosed will either increase or decrease relative to the handles position. Ribs that are tighter in front will appear low, narrowing the available space in the thorax, and may alter the placement of the shoulders, head, and neck above and/or the pelvis and abdomen below. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 21

THE RIB CAGE - CONSIDERATIONS Your chest may be tightly held down in front, making it seem shallow, flat, and/or sunken. Or, you can puff out the chest, making yourself appear to be standing up straight. It is this latter point that gets most people into trouble. This attempt to improve posture while appearing beneficial in the short-term, requires an effort to keep up, and therefore unsustainable. Also, and more importantly pushing out your chest will shorten the back muscles and lengthen the front muscles beyond what is necessary for balanced posture. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 22

- Notes - Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 23

SHOULDERS AND ARMS - ANATOMY The Shoulder Girdle is made up of the: Clavicle (collarbone) Scapula (shoulder-blade) Upper extremity (arm all the way down to, and including the hand) the shoulder to be. The Shoulder Girdle sits atop the rib cage with its only joint attachment between the clavicle and the Sternum (at the front) allowing for limited movements in all directions. The other end of the clavicle meets the Scapula at the outer most part, where we consider The two Scapula (shoulder blades) float flat, sliding along the back of the Rib Cage with muscle attachments providing the only positioning and support. This allows for a more versatile structure than the pelvis, permitting for a larger variety of movements. However, this leads us to what can go wrong. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 24

UPPER EXTREMITIES - CONSIDERATIONS Too much muscular activity in any one or more muscles will create limitations and/or changes to movement and postural patterns. For Example: Imagine the Upper Trapezius (the muscle that sits on top of your shoulders just below your ears). If this tightens and shortens as is easily possible to do in stressful situation, then the shoulder blades will lift, and the arms may turn either in or out all leading to a change from a normal resting position.try this exercise yourself, by lifting your shoulders up towards your ears. What happens to your shoulders and arms? Where is your head and neck sitting? How are the muscles along your spine reacting? Poor use of muscle function can often lead to changes in posture and can lead to pain and injury. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 25

SHOULDERS AND ARMS - EXERCISE Allow your shoulders to gently ease down and forward with your arms resting evenly and easily by your side. Keep your hands soft. Do your shoulders sit comfortably on your rib cage, or do they feel as though they are lifting to your ears? You want to feel as if your hands are resting in the front pockets of a pair of trousers. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 26

- Notes - Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 27

HEAD & NECK - ANATOMY Five Steps To Better Posture Anatomy Cranium Cervical spine (neck): made up of 7 cervical vertebrae Function: The Cervical Spine (neck) is the area between the Cranium (head) and the Rib Cage (Thorax), with the head resting atop the first Cervical Vertebrae (the Atlas). The neck offers the greatest variety and range of movement of all the spinal regions. Nodding side bending and rotation of the head and neck is possible due to the shape and sizes of its vertebrae. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 28

HEAD & NECK - CONSIDERATIONS The heads relationship with the rest of the body cannot be underestimated. The heads only attachment to the rest of the body is between the base of the skull and the topmost vertebrae of the neck. As a result, the head is heavily influenced by any changes and limitations occurring below it, especially from its near neighbours, the neck, shoulders, and rib cage. For example, when the head sits too far forward and out of alignment, then undue strain and weight is placed upon the neck. The more the head sits forward from preferred posture alignment, the greater the need for the muscles and ligaments of the head and neck to work to keep balance possible. Therefore by improving alignment of the head and neck it is possible to ease a range of concerns that may lead to head, neck, and shoulder discomfort. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 29

EXERCISE - HEAD & NECK Imagine that a large helium balloon is attached to the crown of your head via a piece of string. Feel the lift this will give you. Is your head and neck balanced evenly between your shoulders lifting you tall? Allow your eyes to face straight ahead. As a rule of thumb, there is a tendency that where the eyes go the head will follow. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 30

- Notes - Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 31

A FINAL NOTE: WHEN IN DOUBT... If you find you are in any discomfort or unable to follow through with any of the steps then stop. Do not attempt to push through with the movement. You can only work to the degree to which your body allows you. These steps are not an exhaustive list of how to find the perfect posture, but an introduction into what is possible. Certain possible steps were omitted to not confuse the basic goals and directions of movement sought for. If you have any questions or wish to discuss this further please contact us. Posture - Performance - wellbeing 32

BONUS - CHEAT SHEET Five Steps To Better Posture How To Think On Your Feet FEET KNEES Do you stand evenly and balanced on your feet? Balance between balls of big and little toe, and middle of heel. Are your knees moving straight ahead when walking? Imagine a piece of string pulling you forward from the kneecaps. PELVIS SHOULDERS & ARMS HEAD Does your pelvis swing gently from side to side when walking? Imagine your pelvis is not rigid and sense the freedom of movement. Do your shoulders sit comfortably upon your rib cage, or do they feel as though they are lifting to your ears? Allow your shoulders to gently ease down and forward with your arms resting evenly and easily by your side. Keep your hands soft. Is your head and neck balanced evenly between your shoulders lifting you tall? Imagine that a helium balloon is attached to the crown of your head via a piece of string. Feel the lift this will give you. Posture - Performance - Wellbeing 33