Supporting Positive Postural Changes
Hi Friends,
I came across this article from Livestrong the other day and was excited to see how much it aligned with what we do in our Loo Movement practice! I love it when established health and wellness publications highlight the value of postural and alignment health. I recommend checking out the whole article here to learn all the ways they recommend slowing down age-related postural changes, but if you are short on time, I’ve summarized the key points below!
Three Ways Your Posture Changes With Age and What You Can Do About It
If you seem to be shrinking the older you get, it's not an optical illusion. Loss of height is just one of the many ways our posture changes as we age. But are these shifts in stature inevitable?
Ways Your Posture Changes With Age
We Become More Stooped
You may have noticed that some seniors appear to be stooped forward. That's no coincidence: A less upright posture is the product of aging.
We Lose Height
The reason we grow shorter as seniors is caused by the same mechanism that curves our spine and makes us more stooped: "Loss of hydration of the discs and thinning of the vertebral bodies," Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD, a New York City-based spinal and orthopedic surgeon, says.
Our Gait Changes
If you have a signature stride, it may slightly shift in your golden years. In general, our steps become shorter (in length and height). And these shorter strides are directly related to the stiffening of joints that comes with aging, Dr. Okubadejo says.
Ways to Manage Age-Related Postural Changes
Start Strength Training
Strength training not only helps to maintain muscle mass, which as we know, plays a pivotal role in proper posture, but it can also have a direct effect on key muscles that are necessary for keeping you in an upright position, Meghan Lamothe, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan says.
For example, strengthening the scapular (i.e., your shoulder) muscles can assist with correcting posture. That's because when these muscles are strong, they will pull your shoulder blades back (read: combat shoulder slump and stooping) and help you stand in a more vertical, lifted position, Lamothe says.
Prioritize Posture Exercises
Having a daily stretching regimen with a strong emphasis on posture is another necessity when your goal is to combat age-related postural changes, Dr. Okubadejo says.
Lamothe agrees: The one thing that most of us lack in our everyday routine is a focus on posture-specific exercises. "People often don't learn this stuff until they have pain or some other issue and come to physical therapy," she says.
But incorporating movements to improve your mobility and flexibility is fundamental to maintaining good posture as you age.
Move as Much as Possible
Even if you can't fit in a focused sweat session, all the little movements you do in a day can help when it comes to posture. "Motion is lotion," Lamothe says. That's because moving of any kind lubricates the joints and keeps them mobile (read: healthy).
And don't worry about picking a particular exercise — just do what feels good.
Do these tips sound familiar? That’s because this is our goal with Loo Movement, whether it’s through 1:1's, class, or workshops! The difference with Loo Movement is that we focus on the long game and getting ahead of common issues before your pain limits you. It’s “prehab” for active people with foresight, so you can continue the activities you love and feel good into your 80’s!
Stay curious,
Valerie Loo, PT
@loomovement
