A chartered physiotherapist’s take on a misunderstood topic
By Paul Bolger. Chartered Physiotherapist.
We have had it wrong this whole time. Posture is not that important for back health. Yes, it’s a good idea to sit tall with your shoulders back at a job interview, and sometimes brief changes in posture can give temporary relief from pain. But for long-term back health, focusing on posture is like trying to tidy your home without stepping in the front door – you are missing the point completely.
So, slouch back and relax while you read on – safe in the knowledge that you are doing no harm to your back.
Most people (even most physiotherapists) still believe that there is such a thing as an “ideal” posture. Our misunderstanding started a long time ago…
The Ancient Greeks Weren’t Always Right
The ancient Greeks believed that posture was linked to divinity and virtue – and we still see this today with people being told, “sit up straight!”, “shoulders back!”. This idea seeped into the medical world, influencing how we treat those in pain.
In more recent history, scientists have placed spines (removed from dead pigs) into specialised equipment. They would bend, twist, contort and compress these spines repeatedly (literally thousands of times) – all in an effort to better understand what our own spines can tolerate. Other researchers have used intricate computer programmes to measure the forces flowing through our backs as we move.
What have we discovered from this research? Spines are extremely strong and robust. When it comes to posture there is no consensus – no agreement that any “perfect” posture exists.
Slouching Teens Don’t Get More Neck Pain
More recently, a brilliant study compared postures amongst over 1,000 teenagers. Whether they were regular slouchers, upright sitters or anything in-between, the teens were no more likely to suffer from neck pain.
Interestingly, the researchers returned 5-years later to see if posture affected future risk of pain (would all that slouching catch up on them?). The result – no difference. In fact, the only teens who were a bit more likely to suffer from neck pain 5 years later were the girls who sat bolt upright with a straight back.
So, what to do about all of this?
Your Best Posture is Your Next Posture
We know that a variety of postures and regular movement is important for back health. A few things we can all do is:
- Change posture as guided by comfort levels – slouch, sit straight, bend, twist – and know that our backs are made to move.
- Get up and move often (every 20-30 mins throughout the day).
- Leading a healthy life helps to keep your back healthy.
If you, or anyone you love, needs help and guidance in dealing with pain, then working with a chartered physiotherapist who empowers you to take charge of your body is a great place to start.
