Spine support?

[RadioHead84]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: RadioHead84

Originally posted by: amicold

Originally posted by: fustercluck
I, like many people, am a Sloucher. I slouch when I walk and slouch when I sit down. Not good for ole' spiney. Most likely to lead to worse posture/problems down the road, unless I do something about it. I've been thinking I wouldn't mind taking a radical approach to fixing my spine and wear some kind of brace to keep me upright and uptight. Something I could wear under clothes would be most preferred. Something invented post 1800s would also be preferred...not that I have anything against the 1800s. Maybe I could just rig up some DIY thing to keep my spine in order while I'm in my room. But I think it would be more beneficial to wear something when I'm standing/walking around also.

Any idears?

Call me a radical but I'd start by lifting some weights. No one said you have to be a bodybuilder to do so.

Edit: If you feel you're too busy you're not. Bodybuilders spend their lives in the gym, .you don't have to. Even basics like deadlifts or squats, benches, miliary presses, and bent rows a few times a week would benefit you

I would not start with deadlifts. It is one of the best excercises out there...but I would say you can hurt your back pretty easily doing it.

So after you increase your back strength, your back is more resistant to injury from bad form?

I think you can argue that the risk of hurting yourself is probably higher when your muscles are not used to being worked out, AND you are using bad form. There is always danger using bad form.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: RadioHead84

I think you can argue that the risk of hurting yourself is probably higher when your muscles are not used to being worked out, AND you are using bad form. There is always danger using bad form.

Finding someone to help with deadlifts is not difficult. Starting with 135 with mediocre form shouldn't hurt most men. Form will improve and then weight can increase.

Deadlifts (and lifting in general) has greatly improved my back strength and posture. I actually look taller now because I stand up straighter.

 

[RadioHead84]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: RadioHead84

I think you can argue that the risk of hurting yourself is probably higher when your muscles are not used to being worked out, AND you are using bad form. There is always danger using bad form.

Finding someone to help with deadlifts is not difficult. Starting with 135 with mediocre form shouldn't hurt most men. Form will improve and then weight can increase.

Deadlifts (and lifting in general) has greatly improved my back strength and posture. I actually look taller now because I stand up straighter.

I guess everyone is different. But I thought starting out on a machine was better for me..then switching over to deadlifts.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: RadioHead84

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: RadioHead84

I think you can argue that the risk of hurting yourself is probably higher when your muscles are not used to being worked out, AND you are using bad form. There is always danger using bad form.

Finding someone to help with deadlifts is not difficult. Starting with 135 with mediocre form shouldn't hurt most men. Form will improve and then weight can increase.

Deadlifts (and lifting in general) has greatly improved my back strength and posture. I actually look taller now because I stand up straighter.

I guess everyone is different. But I thought starting out on a machine was better for me..then switching over to deadlifts.

How do you know it was better when you only tried it one way? Plenty of people have gone through the strong lifts 5x5 program which starts you deadlifting, and they seem to work out fine.

Anyways, this is more of a H+F topic.

 

[fustercluck]

Well I googled around and didn't find much. this is about the only thing I could find that resembled what I had in mind. Who knew "Thoracolumbosacral" was a word?

I might have to just build something to keep me doing it. It's really hard to just think about it all the time...mind is on other things so much of the day. I bet my spine is going left and right too, and not just dipping at the top of the spine. Scoliosis runs pretty rampant in my family. Maybe just sitting/standing up straight would fix any spine problem...even if it's sidewinding.

I don't think exercises would be too bad. I'm not like a super hunchback with debilitating spine problems or anything, just slouching too much. Probably 9 out of 10 people have bad posture...but who the hell knows.

I think I'll start my raising my monitor to 'sitting up straight' level so I don't have to slouch to get my head in the middle of the screen and get the best picture. LCD monitors require straight on vision.

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: fustercluck
Well I googled around and didn't find much. this is about the only thing I could find that resembled what I had in mind. Who knew "Thoracolumbosacral" was a word?

I might have to just build something to keep me doing it. It's really hard to just think about it all the time...mind is on other things so much of the day. I bet my spine is going left and right too, and not just dipping at the top of the spine. Scoliosis runs pretty rampant in my family. Maybe just sitting/standing up straight would fix any spine problem...even if it's sidewinding.

I don't think exercises would be too bad. I'm not like a super hunchback with debilitating spine problems or anything, just slouching too much. Probably 9 out of 10 people have bad posture...but who the hell knows.

I think I'll start my raising my monitor to 'sitting up straight' level so I don't have to slouch to get my head in the middle of the screen and get the best picture. LCD monitors require straight on vision.

I would strongly recommend that you do NOT use any sort of posture helper like you posted.

Those things will only cause you to rely on them for posture instead of your own muscles, which will lead to poorer and poorer posture as your muscles deteriorate.

You need to strengthen your core to improve posture.

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: Analog

Originally posted by: fustercluck
Well I googled around and didn't find much. this is about the only thing I could find that resembled what I had in mind. Who knew "Thoracolumbosacral" was a word?

I might have to just build something to keep me doing it. It's really hard to just think about it all the time...mind is on other things so much of the day. I bet my spine is going left and right too, and not just dipping at the top of the spine. Scoliosis runs pretty rampant in my family. Maybe just sitting/standing up straight would fix any spine problem...even if it's sidewinding.

I don't think exercises would be too bad. I'm not like a super hunchback with debilitating spine problems or anything, just slouching too much. Probably 9 out of 10 people have bad posture...but who the hell knows.

I think I'll start my raising my monitor to 'sitting up straight' level so I don't have to slouch to get my head in the middle of the screen and get the best picture. LCD monitors require straight on vision.

I would strongly recommend that you do NOT use any sort of posture helper like you posted.

Those things will only cause you to rely on them for posture instead of your own muscles, which will lead to poorer and poorer posture as your muscles deteriorate.

You need to strengthen your core to improve posture.

this

 

[eits]

ok, i'm sorry to put this to you bluntly, but this is something i deal with on and almost daily basis. don't listen to any of these other chumps telling you to lift weights or wear braces or anything like that. you need to start with stability exercises first and postural exercises. after you've gotten those out of the way and your posture has improved, THEN you can start lifting weights in order to reinforce proper posture. until then, however, don't.

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: Analog


I would strongly recommend that you do NOT use any sort of posture helper like you posted.

Those things will only cause you to rely on them for posture instead of your own muscles, which will lead to poorer and poorer posture as your muscles deteriorate.

You need to strengthen your core to improve posture.

this

Wouldn't a posture helper, forcing you to situp/standup straight all the time actually improve back muscles instead of deteriorating them? I mean, it would get you sitting up/standing up straight, causing more stress to muscles you don't normally use...obviously I don't know what I'm talking about - What I'm saying is why wouldn't some kind of posture-helping device screw things up rather than help get you to get used to sitting up straight? Seems like if you wore a brace of some kind long enough you would wind up doing it on your own without even thinking about it.

But, anyways, since I don't know what I'm talking about I'm going to take eits advice, since he's actually qualified to give this advice - Can you link to the specific exercising you're speaking of (stability exercises first and postural exercises)?

 

[CRXican]

he just wants your money, get to the gym cupcake

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: fustercluck

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: Analog


I would strongly recommend that you do NOT use any sort of posture helper like you posted.

Those things will only cause you to rely on them for posture instead of your own muscles, which will lead to poorer and poorer posture as your muscles deteriorate.

You need to strengthen your core to improve posture.

this

Wouldn't a posture helper, forcing you to situp/standup straight all the time actually improve back muscles instead of deteriorating them? I mean, it would get you sitting up/standing up straight, causing more stress to muscles you don't normally use...obviously I don't know what I'm talking about - What I'm saying is why wouldn't some kind of posture-helping device screw things up rather than help get you to get used to sitting up straight? Seems like if you wore a brace of some kind long enough you would wind up doing it on your own without even thinking about it.

But, anyways, since I don't know what I'm talking about I'm going to take eits advice, since he's actually qualified to give this advice - Can you link to the specific exercising you're speaking of (stability exercises first and postural exercises)?

no, by bracing your back, your biomechanics relies too much on the brace and less on the tiny muscles that work together to achieve the goal of correcting your posture. it's like cheating on your homework or something... when it comes time to take a test, you're fucked because you don't actually know anything because you didn't take the time to work on the homework.

as for the exercises, do these morning, noon, and night... they're easy and don't take long:

bruegger's exercises - stand with your back against a wall palms turned out. simultaneously draw your shoulders back and your head back while keeping your chin tucked. you should feel your whole back tighten up. hold for one minute.

wall/floor angels - stand against wall with feet shoulder width apart. gently press low back against wall (or a floor). place back of elbows, forearms, and wrists against wall/floor. bring arms up and down slowly in a small arc of motion while keeping elbows in contact with wall. start off doing this for about 10 reps slowly. progress to doing them for one minute.

reverse flys - go to an exercise shop or go online and find thera-bands. they're big elastic bands of varying resistances. start off with a light resistance band, tie it in the middle around a closed doorknob, sit in a chair (or swiss/yoga ball if you have one), and hold the ends of the bands in each hand. bring your hands 90 degrees in front of you. then, open them all the way. do 10 reps. in about a week, change the bands to a higher resistence.

bird-dogs - kneel on the floor with hands firmly placed about shoulder width apart. brace your abs, and at first, practice lifting one hand and the opposite knee just clear of the floor while balancing on the other hand and knee. half an inch will do until you get the idea of it. when you're ready to do the complete exercise, look straight ahead, point the arm out straight in front and extend the opposite leg to the rear. hold for 10 seconds then return to hands and knees on ground position. starting out, try 5 repeats on alternate hands and knees (10 repetitions total). do three sets.

 

[fustercluck]

Thank you, Sir.

 

[speg]

How about a 2x4 and some duct tape?

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: fustercluck
Thank you, Sir.

np. i wanted to amend part of breugger's exercise... you don't have to do them against a wall. you can do them standing, in a chair, wherever you want. but if you're just starting out, do it against the wall until you're confident and comfortable enough to do them without the wall.

here's another exercise for you... it's kinda the same thing as breugger's except different:

waxing - sit up straight with elbows at sides and bent to 90 degrees (right angle). then, push your shoulders together and down with your palms facing the floor. make a waxing motion in the air while maintaining the above position. try and keep your elbows in constant contact to your sides as if they were glued in place while you're doing the motions. do it for about 30 seconds or so for 3 reps.