Attend to Posture and Body Mechanics to Prevent Dowager’s Hump
“Dowager’s hump” is a term commonly used to describe an abnormal outward curvature of the spine in the upper back (hyperkyphosis). A curved back shifts your center of gravity forward, making it difficult to balance and increasing your fall risk, according to Polly de Mille, RN, RCEP, CSCS, USAT, Clinical Supervisor at the Tisch Sports Performance Center of the Weill Cornell-affiliated Hospital for Special Surgery.
“The condition develops mainly from weak upper back muscles, tight chest muscles, osteoporosis, and/or degenerative disc disease,” de Mille says. “But, you can take steps to prevent the condition.”
Good Posture is Key
“If you keep your head lined up over your shoulders, and your shoulders lined up with your hips, knees and ankles, you’re in balance,” de Mille explains. “But, if your head juts forward, its weight pulls on the muscles in your upper back and neck, which get overstretched, and your chest muscles become short and tight. If you also have weak bones, your spine curves forward, and you end up with a structural change—and once the shape of the spine changes, you can’t reverse it.”
Improving your posture means keeping the muscles of your upper back and chest strong and flexible. If your chest muscles are tight, short, and weak, you’re more likely to round forward.
The Role of Body Mechanics
Proper body mechanics can also help prevent hyperkyphosis and keep it from worsening if you already have it.
“Avoid flexing forward from the spine, and always bend from the hips. Crunches should be avoided as an exercise. During activities of daily living, such as bending over to pick something up, tie your shoes, or bending over the sink to wash your face, avoid hunching over; instead, keep your spine straight and hinge from the hips (see exercise below). Even bending over to brush your teeth can lead to a compression fracture in an osteoporotic spine,” says de Mille.
Focus on Good Habits
Keep good posture in mind throughout the day and correct bad habits, such as hunching over a desk, to help prevent hyperkyphosis. It’s a process that needs to be repeated multiple times a day. “It does no good to work out with weights or take exercise classes for an hour a few times a week if you’re holding yourself with your head forward and shoulders hunched the rest of the time,” de Mille warns. “Re-educate your body with better habits. If you catch yourself hunching forward, stop what you’re doing, sit up straight, and then resume your activity.”
The post Attend to Posture and Body Mechanics to Prevent Dowager’s Hump appeared first on University Health News.
Read Original Article: Attend to Posture and Body Mechanics to Prevent Dowager’s Hump »
Powered by WPeMatico
