Where’s UR Head At?? Brittany: I created this workshop out of my desire to create a more vital and confident humanity. I have so many clients who come to me with fatigue, depression, and chronic pain that could have been prevented from posture awareness. It is a huge piece missing from our education system as I do not even remember learning about the shape of the spine in P.E. let alone reminded about posture in it. I believe the best way to bring our youth into the habit of better posture is to engage them in activities that remind them to stand and sit up straight so it is not a demand but is fun. We are going to start by informing and hopefully inspiring YOU to pay closer attention to your posture so you can be role models and lead our youth in better habits (while also feeling better yourself!). First, I will have Dr. Greg teach about why we need to be more diligent about our posture.

Curves of the Spine Dr. Greg: Here you can see why it is important to hold your head up because the neck is naturally supposed to curve back and as I (Dr. Greg) find in my patient’s x-rays, people tend to lose that curve which compresses the space between the vertebrae causing degeneration, pinched nerves, numbness into arms and hands, and chronic pain. You can also see where compression can occur between the pelvic and lumbar areas causing low back pain, sciatica (shooting pains and numbness into legs and feet) and a higher risk of back injury (lifting weights or even bending to pick something up).

Nerves Dr. Greg: This is a view of the nerves from the right side of the back of the neck. At first it seems like B is the healthy side but actually A is because there is some slack, there is give for movement and flexibility. B is already pulled tight so any movement creates extra strain on the nerves. What can cause our nerves to get so tight?

Compression and Fusion Dr. Greg: The answer is poor posture which leads to spinal disorders like these. These are some real x-rays showing the types of degeneration in the spine which can lead to the bones fusing, causing pain and greatly limiting movement. What is causing this kind of degeneration? Next slide 

Dr. Greg: In the neck, it’s head forward posture Dr. Greg: In the neck, it’s head forward posture. In the low back, it is from sitting too long and slouching. Here, you can picture how strained the nerves can get with in head forward posture decreasing flexibility and increasing risk of injury. All of this extra weight compresses the spine causing the degeneration from the last slide. Children are texting at younger and younger ages and getting less activity which will lead to developing misaligned spines and weak back muscles. So that gives you a quick overview of why we need to be more aware of our bodies growing up, and I will hand the rest of the workshop over to Brittany. Brittany: Thank you Dr. Greg for all of that amazing information. Our bodies really are amazing!

Brittany: Now I’d like everyone to pull out your phones or something to read and see where you naturally position your arms and head. Is your chest caved in and chin down? Is your breath shallow? Now sit up straight, holding the phone so your eyes are forward and feel the difference. Try to catch yourself and notice how long you stay in head-down positions like on the phone, computer, and couch every day. How often do you see students hunched over resting their head on their elbow while writing? Preferably, we would like to see standing desks in all schools and there is an organization working on it, you can learn more at standupkids.org.

Brittany: Now I’d like everyone to stand up and see where you naturally position yourself. Are your arms forward and chest and chin slightly down? Do you feel strong and confident in your stance? As we allow our chest to cave in from texting, computer work and stress, our upper back and neck is stretched forward and weakened. Focus on relaxing the center of the chest and breathe deep but relaxed as you round your chest up. Sometimes our diaphragm gets tight from stress causing shorten breaths and difficulty holding chest up, so it is important to relax into full breaths. Studies have found that when we are slouched we take in as much as 30% less oxygen. Another study found that “upright postures were associated with greater confidence”. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 39, 1053–1064 (2009).

How to Engage Them? I’d like to give a special shout out to P.E. teachers to invite you to think creatively on activities or ways you can sneak in reminders about posture to your lessons, but here are some things all teachers can do :

Let’s stand tall so we can be strong like Superman and Wonder Woman! Remind them to stand tall for the Pledge of Allegiance. After the Pledge…

Now who can keep their back straight as you sit down? The curve of the low back is just as important as the curve in the neck. Try to notice when students are sitting upright and compliment them for their good posture. Maybe even reward stickers randomly when you notice good posture. At the end of the day you can say “I’d like everyone to practice sitting straight at home even when you are playing video games!”

Lining up for lunch: Who can stand the tallest?? It doesn’t have to necessarily be every time they line up but I’d say at least one posture reminder a day would make a huge difference.

Let’s group up and practice pushing our desks with our knees bent and backs straight! Bend the knees so your back is straight when your arms reach our to push, then use your legs to power your push!

Drop your books on the floor so we can practice the right way to lift! Keep your back straight as you bend your knees until you can reach to bottom of your book. Then keep your back straight as you use your legs to stand up.

Benefits? Reduced neck and back pain Decrease stress on joints Prevent spinal disorders and injuries

Benefits? Better breathing = more oxygen and better brain function like memory! Improved energy, mood, and confidence If you are struggling regaining posture, chiropractors and massage therapists can help reverse damage done and teach you more of how to take care of yourself. Our information will be available up front and you can contact me with any questions or concerns that may arise.

I truly believe we can live more powerfully when we are not encumbered by the physical and mental limitations of the inflexibility and pain caused by poor posture. I hope you found this informative and that it inspires you to pay close attention to your spine and to remind your students so they can grow up with better habits. All of which frees you up to an effective leader, and live a life you love!