Small bends

I get an emailed newsletter from Esther Gokhale, “the posture lady.” The latest one focused on “small bends,” the small degree of rounding you do to pick things up. If you round at the upper back instead of bending at the hip joint you produce, she says, “counter-tension in the lower back and/or pelvis to hold you there. Rather than compromise our backs, it is far healthier to keep our necks tall and bend at the hip joint. The start of a bend usually sets its trajectory. If you have a problematic start to your bend, it will likely continue that way.” 

The images below illustrate small bends--the right way on the left and the wrong way on the right.

In the image on the left, the “bend” occurs at the hips rather than at the waist. The spine remains elongated and the hip joints rotate. The spine follows the pelvis, and the back muscles and core work gently to keep the entire torso in one piece.

In the image on the right, the pelvis is fixed in a tucked position and the spine is rounded to bend forward, a movement that loads and compresses the discs. As Gokhale describes it, “With frequent repetition the microaggressions of even small bends take their toll on the discs. Rounding also overstretches the spinal ligaments, allowing for increasingly hunched posture. Even a small bend done in this way may be perceived by the brain as a threat and send the muscles into spasm, trying to prevent movement and protect against such misuse and damage.”

Easier said than done. Must pay attention!

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