Breaking the Pain Cycle

I see patients that are “stuck” in the pain cycle every day, and I find there is often one common pain culprit – poor posture. We all know about posture and can usually straighten up to the desired position when around others who are walking tall or when verbally cued; however, the pain cycle occurs when good posture is not a habit. Making good posture a habit means retraining postural muscles. Postural muscles are strengthened in a lengthened position … not in a shortened position. In other words, when you do crunches to try to strengthen your abs in hopes of stronger abs to improve your posture you are actually doing the wrong thing. Crunches bring the origin and insertion of ab musculature closer together thus shortening the muscle. Roll ups where you lie on your back with your hands behind your knees or at your sides and roll up to balance on your tush are much better at actually strengthening ab musculature in a lengthened position thus contributing to improved posture. Elongated, strengthened ab musculature is the key to getting out of the pain cycle.