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Show Your Doctor Says... Thi ftUu;i.lng is one of a striei of urticl ttnllni kj ihiiiiKis of the L'lah Sttitt MiJua Auuualioii mid published in iopeution uiU jour total ntn ipiper. Thai artules an iifiijulti to ajfuii Htii othtr wnk Ihrnighuut the yea in mi rffuit Id htttr finjuuinl vit uith problem oj health, nnd d signed hi nnprou tti utll btii.g oj the people of I'lnh. IS YOUR POSTURE SHOWING? Yes, your posture does show-and a number of things. It may account for that backache you've been complaining atout or pains in the chest or abdomen. Your posture often shows your disposition dis-position and your disposition is certainly - an index of the way you feel. Yout spirits tend to sag when your body sags. On the other hand, physical vigor helps to keep you mentally cheerful and alert. Nearly everyone is born with the basic foundation for a good posture but, through neglect, lack of proper supervision super-vision and certain fads, some persons develop a faulty posture. Posture means the proper relationship of the various partsof thebody when standing, walking, working, sitting and lying down. The effect of poor posture on appearance ap-pearance is obvious to anyone. Not so obvious are the- ways in which poor posture may cause fatigue, aches and pains, and improper functioning of internal in-ternal organs. When the spine and leg bones are straight, the body weight is supported with the least possible muscular muscu-lar effort. When poor posture throws these bones out of line, the muscles must work harder to hold the body up and an extra strain is thrown on the muscles, joints and ligaments. Correct posture, once it becomes a habit, is the easiest posture to maintain. With poor posture the pelvis is tilted forward and the abdominal muscles sag outward. The chest Is flattened, crowding the lungs and heart. This crowding may interfere with breathing, circulation, digestion and other functions, causing many of the vague complaints which distress otherwise healthy men, women and children. During pregnancy low-back pain may become very annoying or even somewhat some-what disabling. Postural pains of pregnancy often extend around the lower part of the abdomen and into the thighs. Lordosis or sway-back, with stress and strain on ligaments and muscular attachments, comes on with efforts to maintain a center of gravity for standing and walking. This abnormal posture is sometimes called the "pride of pregnancy pregnan-cy position. Correct position treatment usually gives quick relief This consists of lying on the back on a flat surface with the heel supported at coffee-table height for twenty minutes four times a day. Tension on muscles and ligaments is relieved. By maintaining good posture during early pregnancy, most of the , distress in the lower part of the back may be prevented. Special exercise '' and the lying-down position should be continued until a good posture can be ' maintained without concious effort. Poor posture may be the result of such diseases as poliomyelitis or arthritis. arthri-tis. It may also stem from poor vision, impaired hearing, deformities at birth and weakened foot arches. And then carelessness may be a factor in poor ' posture. There is more to good body balance than simply standing up straight. Good posture results in well-coordinated body balance. Learn the feel of good posture; make it a habit. The head is held high, the shoulders back, the chest up and ; forward and the abdomen drawn up and in. With the lower back flattened, the hips tilted down in back and the knees straight, fatigue is largely avoided. The feet, with the toes pointed straight ahead, carry the weight evenly, lightly and with a certain "springiness." Somehow Some-how the walk of a person with good posture carries added characteristics such as alertness and interest. On the other hand, the person whose feet turn out in shuffled steps, whose shoulders sag, stomach bulges and whose head hangs, suggests laziness and loss of interest. Habits can be dangerous. Carrying school books or large bags of newspapers news-papers on the same side day in and day out may result in a sagging effect. Double bags for newspapers are preferable. Slumping in a chair is a bad habit. Avoid fatigue by sitting well back, so that the lower back is supported. If you spend long hours sitting, get a good chair; it will pay for itself in comfort and efficiency. The value of properly-supervised training in physical education cannot be overlooked in developing a well-coordinated body balance, not only for students stu-dents of grade classes, but for those in high school and college. Bad postural habits can be corrected by concentrated effort. Any exercise which improves muscle tone, whether it be an active sport or simply a brisk walk, will be an aid to good posture. Sports are especially valuable, because the process works both ways. The exercise tones up the body and aids posture, and good posture or good body balance is a part of the physical skill necessary for the game. And sports are fun, so we don't have to force ourselves to take exercise, and remember that a few minutes of exercise will do little unless you develop the habit of good body balance. "Good posture helps you think better, look better, feel better." |
