Ergonomics and Posture: Exercise is the solution…right?! Part 2

For: The Divot
By: Chris Ecklund, MA, CSCS, TPI, PES, USAW

In the first installment we discussed what posture and ergonomics are from a general perspective and how to begin addressing them.

As I review what these are and how they impact us all on daily basis with people, the common response I get is, “Chris, I’ll just fix my posture with my exercise program.”

Eh…maybe not.

The reality is that posture is a product of habits, not exercise.

Exercise can’t fix posture just like hard workouts won’t fix poor nutrition.

Exercise can either CONTRIBUTE to the problem or REINFORCE the good habits.

Think about it:

Average person exercises 2x/week
Average Workout (strength) = 45m
2 x 45m = 90 min / week
Average amount of other minutes during week with bad posture = 9,990

90 minute versus 9,990 minutes…who will win?

It’s simple math, really.

And, if you exercise as many do, these are the types of activities that are engaged in with the hope of creating good posture and core stability:

Do we see a theme (and maybe a problem)?

These activities are not intrinsically poor, but there should certainly be questions related to IF we do them, HOW should they be done.

Motor programming and learning is often said to take place over the course of 3,000 repetitions (we often refer to this as movement becoming muscle memory). Think of how many swings it takes to implement a new golf stroke, a new tennis serve. Posture is no different. It takes time and repetition…in every facet of life!

Furthermore, look at the great positions we commonly put our spine/discs in while we lift weights!

Check out the 220%, 275% and 210% areas highlighted by red. These are all typical workout positions. The percentages are telling us what research has found as intradiscal pressures. Said simply, the higher the number them more disc pressure exists (and perhaps more injury development). Hmmm. Hopefully it makes us think about what lifts we are doing and HOW we are doing those lifts…

Big deal (we often think). What could that lead to?

It could lead to this beauty. Ah the wonderful Upper and Lower Crossed postural distortions. Said simply: some things get short and hypertonic while others get weak and long (and maybe hypertonic or hypotonic). Basically, stuff starts to hurt because it’s at the wrong length and tension.

Question: “Chris, we just need to stretch, right?!”

Answer: “No. And stretching can make this worse, unless you are STRETCHING THE CORRECT STUFF!”

For some folks, stretching upper trapezius and hamstrings might help. But for most others, it will only reinforce the issues or even make them worse.

Remember: Posture isn’t a product of exercise. Exercise can’t fix bad posture. And, if not done well, it can definitely make it worse.

If you add STRENGTH to DYSFUNCTION then you will STRENGTHEN the DYSFUNCTION!

If you’d like to get a Biomechanical Analysis to assess your posture so you know how to integrate a proper corrective program that will support your Golf, Tennis, Strength and Yoga practice, please get in contact with us a.s.a.p. so we can help!

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