Posture

At BodyLab | Osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training in Zürich Altstetten, we often hear people say: "My posture isn’t good. Due to my poor posture, I have neck, shoulder, and back pain. I do try to pay attention to my posture, but it doesn’t help much. What is the best thing to do in this situation?"

How is our posture formed?

Our posture is controlled by proprioception, a feedback system for sensing movement and body position in space. This is mainly governed by deep sensory perception and the balance organs.

• Receptors located in our joints inform the brain about the position and/or movement of our joints.

• Our eyes allow us to anticipate shifts in balance so we can respond with appropriate muscle activity to remain upright. When they are closed, we sway more.

• Our inner ear contains our balance organs which are equipped with receptors. These give us a sense of our body's position (upright, lying down, etc.) in space. Dizziness disrupts this feedback.

These three systems complement each other and send information to the motor cortex in the brain for the desired muscular reaction. This, in turn, sends signals to the muscles so we adopt the necessary posture through contraction.

Is posture an active process?

Fundamentally, posture can be considered an active process. By contracting our muscles, our joints are positioned to ensure optimal biomechanics during movement or when holding a pose. Posture can also be active when we stand up straight or tilt the pelvis. However, this would require continuous conscious activity; otherwise, we would fall over. Since we are also engaged in other activities in our daily lives, posture is controlled unconsciously. This means the muscles constantly maintain a slight tension and react to changes in the body's center of gravity. While stretching the back or pulling the shoulders back at work can alleviate static posture, it does not have a long-lasting effect on our posture.

How can I improve my posture?

The fundamental condition for improving posture is the optimal functionality of the entire musculoskeletal system. This includes joint mobility and muscle strength. For example, if the ankle or pelvis is not 100% freely movable, posture is difficult to maintain because biomechanics are impaired. Efficient muscle development is also necessary. Muscles can be too weak (because we sit for 8 hours a day), asymmetrically developed (because we move in one direction), or shortened.

To improve our posture, we need:

• optimal body function without biomechanical restrictions, meaning joint mobility

• an efficient muscle system, meaning strength

• optimal muscle length, meaning flexibility

A ballerina, for instance, doesn't need to focus on her posture anymore. She has optimal biomechanics, flexibility, and a strong muscular system. It's simply programmed into her joints. This knowledge proves and can motivate us that good posture is a matter of practice and, therefore, learnable. Through regular joint treatment combined with specific stretching exercises and targeted muscle building, it is possible for anyone to optimize their posture over time. This, in turn, has a positive effect on physical complaints and pain, helping us to manage them.

If you need us, we are happy to be there for you!

Your BodyLab Team - Your Specialists for Physical Complaints

Osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training

Zürich Altstetten