(-shaped back...

[kajinku]

Hi all,

I don't really know how to explain this... it's a bit in the family maybe, plus, I'm a tall person, so this might explain it a bit. Here's the deal: my upper back is a bit "curved". It's not like The Huntchback of Notre Dame or something, far from that, but it's not as flat as the average person's back. I believe this can be corrected with the right exercises... maybe with specific exercises for my shoulders, so that it looks more in..erm... "balance". Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Merrida]

Yes, it's called kyphosis. Many times it's accompanied with extreme lordosis (which means excessive lumbar curve) or with a "flat back" which means the rest of your back is flat except for your upper back by your shoulderblades which is hunched over.

If not corrected, chances are higher that this curve will be even more exagerated as you age.

Pilates is not weight training, but their theories explain WHY this occurs, and what muscles you need to "fix" to correct it. (And then you can work on them either with Pilates or the gym).

There are exercises to avoid (such as severe shoulder abduction at this point),....strengthening scapular retraction and depression. Chances are your posture itself needs work, all the way down to your pelvis and even feet. Your chest is probably tight and the muscles in your upper back weak. (This doesn't mean you overworked your chest and underworked your back by the way).

Much of kyphosis comes from the every day postures you assume, not because of "mistakes" you make in the gym lifting. that's why addressing the posture issue directly might be more helpful and make you more aware.

PS: Edited to add, that a big factor is what you do for work. Jobs which require sitting and computer work or a lot of driving, or even if your eyesight is bad, coordination,...the position of your head (which weighs 10% of your total body), and neck, do you jutt your head forward, straining,.... the muscle in your neck, chances are the neck extensors are over developed and tight and the flexors are lax and weak...

There are many positions you put your head and body through daily that will force this kyphosis to get worse.

BTW: The nerves that innervate through your dorsals run to affect your breathing, heart, swallowing (although that's frequently the neck), stomach, liver, spleen, .... so the worse your posture gets, the more you'll (eventually) find that internally, and other structures in your body, will start to not feel well and get cranky.

[kajinku]

Hey Merrida, thanks for the reply. I think the "flat back" is more what I have. I'm trying to have a good posture as much as I can (bringing my shoulders more together), but sometimes I don't even notice I'm not "trying" anymore... if you understand what I mean. My breathing, swallowing (erm...), stomach, etc. are fine... I think. I don't have pain or anything.

I don't really know what pilates are... I'm not even sure there's such a program at the local gym. I heard that swimming might be good for this problem. Especially swimming on my back. What do you think? ARGH... it's not bad and hardly noticable, just annoying for myself, but I don't want it to get worse.

[Merrida]

Your heart, lungs, gastrointestinal functions, etc., may all feel fine and indeed BE fine, now and for quite a while. My comment about nerve innervation has more to do with what to keep an eye out for, and what may be affected years down the road (so when or if it occurs, you'll have had some insight).

Pilates (pronounced: Puh-LAH-teez) is a type of exercise, like yoga, tai chi, etc. It's probably closest to yoga, but without all the body contortions. The primary focus has to do with postural alignment and how to recognize what is wrong, and how to fix it.

There are many books and tapes on the subject without necessarily having to work with an instructor or video.

Many postural digressions occur over time, and what you experience now is the beginning of what becomes much worse over the course of time. It will only get worse if you do not actively try to correct it.

I have a similar situation as you do, which is a kyphotic dorsal spine and flat lumbar spine with loss of lordosis. For me, it's related to a spinal injury, and unlike you, I'm limited to what things "I" can do to fix it....you have more opportunities.

The backstroke is highly recommended (in clinical exercise therapy as well as in Pilates) for correction of this.

Use care in abstract thinking about "pulling your shoulders back" because this may make it worse. It is not about pulling them back. To identify the structural aspects, you need to think of the source, which is the scapula, not your shoulders.

Depress them, and retract them (the scapula),...take your focus away from movement of your shoulders, and take it deeper from the origin close to the spine. Your scapula should lie flat. In kyphosis, the tendancy is to wing. A slight winging now can be serious protraction later on down the line.

An example (as it pertains directly to lifting weights) is this: If your form is poor on the bench press, for example, and you do not keep your shoulder blades back, flat, against the bench, and if you reach up and out, lock out your arms, reach towards the ceiling and releasing the tension on your pecs, this very action, this lift, results in scapular protraction, and will be just one of what I'm sure are many ways, in which you contribute to making this worse.

[zppz]

very informative... thanks Merrida

[kajinku]

Thanks for all the information, I appreciate it. I will talk to my doctor about it, see if he has more Do's and Don't Do's for me.

Thanks again!