Poor posture can cause a lot of pain and body aches. After a length of time, bad posture may actually change both spine alignment and muscle functioning as well, leading to chronic pain. Unfortunately, when it comes to improving your posture, which most of us need, the standard advice is to stand straight, with your head up, shoulders back, and belly in. Sounds rigid, and military-like, doesn’t it? This would come under the heading of “bad advice.”
Tai Chi’s approach is different and centers around a principle of verticality; the head is centered over the shoulders and torso, the torso rests over the hips, and the hips are centered over the legs and feet. Two important concepts in Tai Chi are posture and breathing. In this blog, we will concentrate on posture.
Many older adults are constantly slouched with their necks forward and shoulders rounded, which can cause the vertebrae in your neck to rearrange in an unnatural curve. Not only does this lead to chronic pain, but your bones push against areas of your body, where they shouldn’t be pushing. This increases the amount of weight on your discs, and compresses them. A head that juts forward, even a slight bit, will more than double the strain on your neck muscles. And the further it juts (think texting and/or computer work), the more the strain .
Tai Chi focuses more on posture and alignment than most exercises. By training the body to improve posture and spinal alignment, Tai Chi reduces stress on the the spine. In addition, many Tai Chi movements use the spine as a pivot point, and through repetition, the muscles around the spine strengthen and become more flexible, which improves posture and reduces back pain.
Movements should originate from the core, not the arms and legs. A strong and balanced core is the key to good posture. While children spring forward from their core to propel their limbs, older adults usually rely on their extremities, shoulders, and hip joints, which places unnecessary stress on those areas.
If you don’t move well, the Qi in your body will not flow when practicing Tai Chi. In order to move well, you must be aligned. Standing upright with power, but without tension, will allow you to fully control your movements.
Let’s look at correct alignment:
To align yourself:
Stand upright with you feet parallel and about shoulder-width apart.
Relax your chest and drop your shoulders, letting your arms hang naturally at your sides.
Elongate your spine, while still allowing for its natural curves. Imagine that a string is attached to your crown, which suspends your head above your body, elongating and relaxing your neck. This will allow your head to sit on top of your spine.
Allow your lips to open slightly, touching your tongue to the roof of your mouth, right behind your top teeth. Do not clench your jaw.
Position your shoulders over, and in alignment with, your hips.
Allow your tailbone to tuck under slightly.
Keep your knees soft, or slightly bent.
Make sure your feet are facing in the same direction as your knees.
Tai Chi principles help align and balance your entire body. When you are in harmony with gravity, you will feel lighter, and move more smoothly. In Tai Chi, when your weight is equally distributed over both feet, this is considered perfect balance between the Heaven and Earth.
Keep in mind that when you try to correct bad posture, correct posture is going to feel odd and unnatural, and you might be tempted to give up. But good posture takes practice, and in time, your improved posture and healthy muscle habits will replace your bad ones.
As always, know your limitations and stay within your comfort zone. If you feel discomfort, it may be from correcting poor posture or prior injury, and should ease as your body adjusts. Observe yourself in a mirror, or ask your Tai Chi instructor to check your posture or movement. And, as when beginning any new exercise program, consulting your health care provider is recommended.