weight distribution and posture
As indicated above, the slouching position in sitting increases the weight onto the disk by around 20% whereas when the upper body is more upright the weight is transferred onto the posterior facets of the vertebrae.
The body’s upright posture is just as important. Those with a posterior pelvic tilt and forward head posture exhibit the maximum amount of pressure on the disk which can lead to herniation of the annulus pulposa which can irritate or even impinge upon the nerves passing through the intervertabral foreman.
At Muswell Hill Personal Training, we exercise those postural muscles that will balance your weight optimally onto your lower spine.
Posture and lower back pain
Above is a picture described by Alois Brugger as the "cogwheel" sitting posture. On the left the figure displays a common sitting posture which leads to both a posterior pelvic tilt and a forward head.
In this position of spinal flexion a maximum amount of pressure is distributed onto the lower vertebrae causing trauma and lower back pain.
To correct this the lower back must be extended to create a healthy lordosis which in turn brings the head back and the pelvis forward.
We focus on posture at Crouch End Massage