Posture Awareness for the Cyclist or Triathlete by John Josephs
Filed under: Workouts & Training Plans
Returning to the basics has been the latest trend in exercising and strength training in the 21st century. Over the past several years, there has been a gradual paradigm shift toward a new type of strength training for triathletes evident in recent articles in this and other multisport publications. These current articles encourage athletes to work on their core and to train using specific exercises that are functional and mimic the movements relative to their sport-specific activities. This types of exercising should be included in your training plan because of the many benefits including improved performance and reduced risk of injury.
We, as coaches and athletes, should continually evolve through our continuing education and experiences in our sport. We should read and study articles published from reliable sources, connect the relevant dots and think forward to create new ideas. I recently initiated a posture awareness program at work and as part of my client’s training package. I feel that posture awareness is a critical component to improving performance and prevent injury. Faulty posture leads to faulty movement. Muscle strain is the most common cause of neck and back pain caused by poor posture. If you have bad posture and strengthen your muscles incorrectly due to a bad training plan, you will reinforce this bad posture with stronger muscles. Good posture is good prevention. Good posture is important because it helps the body function at top speed. It promotes movement efficiency and endurance and contributes to an overall feeling of well being. A report by the Posture Committee of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeon defines posture as, “good posture is that state of muscle and skeletal balance which protects the supporting structures of the body against injury or progressive deformity irrespective of the attitude (erect, lying, squatting, or stooping) in which these structures are working (exercising) or resting. Under such conditions the muscles will function most efficiently and the optimum positions are afforded for the thoracic and abdominal organs. Poor posture is a faulty relationship of the various parts of the body which produce increased strain on the supporting structures and in which there is less efficient balance of the body over the base of support.”
Your posture is supported by your spine which is an extraordinary combination of bones, large and small muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Basic review of the spinal anatomy identifies four segments: 1.) cervical or neck; 2.) thoracic or upper back; 3.) lumbar or lower back; and 4.) sacral region or the bottom of the spine. The spine provides us with mobility in all the planes of movement while protecting our nerve root which sends and delivers messages from our brain to all parts of the body. Basically, your body should be vertical and not have any asymmetry between “points of reference” structures. In an ideal postural alignment from the lateral view, a plumb line should be extend from ear to acromial process (shoulder) through greater trochanter of femur (hip), slightly behind patella (knee cap) and one inch anterior to lateral malleolus (ankle bone) bisecting vertically through these areas. (Figure 1) Any forward or backward deviation from these structures will reveal the degree of faulty alignment.
Muscular Imbalances
Most of the time, poor posture is cause by muscular imbalances. These imbalances may be caused by a repetitive movement activity executed in the work environment. In addition, this same repetitive or overuse syndrome in sports along with a poorly designed exercise program can also lead to muscular imbalances. Think of a muscular imbalance as a bicycle wheel that in not “true” or aligned correctly. If the spokes are not all tightened to the same correct tension, an imbalance is produced. Using this faulty wheel will cause the bike to perform poorly and cause abnormal wear on the tire. The same is true for the human body. For example, over-developing the chest and abdominal muscles will cause the spokes on the front of the body to be tighter than the spokes on the back of the body. This imbalance will pull the head and shoulders forward causing the weight bearing relationship to change, thereby, increasing strain to other portions of the back. The weight of the head and upper body is no longer balanced over the spinal column but instead must be supported by increased muscular energy and placing spinal ligaments on stretch. Over time this leads to fatigue and eventually even pain in the neck and upper back. To correct these faulty alignment and imbalance, first they must be recognized and second they must be corrected before they develop into a serious, chronic issue. The long weak spino-scapular muscles (spokes) must be shortened and strengthened, while the short tight muscles must be stretched. The stretching should be addressed first. A well-balance exercise program should take into consideration these postural aberrations and address them with specific exercise to pull the body back into alignment and “true” the system.
Faulty Posture
Faulty posture when transferred to movement can effect efficiency and lead to injury and premature fatigue. One of the basic concepts in swimming is alignment. Proper alignment affects our stroke mechanics and how we effectively move through the water. Faulty posture equals faulty movement. In cycling, bad posture may cause us to lose energy production through our kinetic chain and be less efficient. This inefficiency will reduce our power output because we will be unable to optimally transfer power. This will cause premature fatigue and the potential for back and neck pain will increase. Bad posture may be one of the explanations for that neck, shoulder, upper and lower back pain that develops on the longer rides. Faulty posture equal faulty movement. Running with bad posture is an injury waiting to happen. As with the other disciplines, bad posture will add to increased stress and shear forces on the musculoskeletal systems. Repeated stresses over a long period of time will take its toll with the potential for discomfort, pain and injury very high and the possible areas involved endless. Faulty posture equals faulty movement.
Correcting Your Posture
Seek out a qualified professional to examine your posture. It may be necessary to obtain the opinion of your physician to rule out any structural posture abnormalities. After ruling out any congenital spinal condition, have a qualified person take your picture in front of a posture grid. You should be photographed in a minimum of three views; the anterior (front), lateral (side) and posterior (back). (Figure 2) The horizontal and vertical grid lines make any posture deviations easy to identify and explain to clients. The posture grid is an excellent posture assessment tool and it will develop awareness to your current posture. Taking pre & post posture assessment pictures is an excellent way to track your progress. Addition steps in improving your posture and increasing your efficiency and performance are:
• Learning proper posture (standing, sitting, lying, lifting and carrying techniques).
• Becoming aware of your body position during all activities.
• Make the necessary changes a daily part of your routine.
• Incorporate postural exercise in your exercise routine.
Good posture is a product of body awareness and good habits. The structure and function of the body provides the potential for attaining and maintaining good posture. Postural faults have their origin in the misuse of the capacities provided by the body, not in the structure and function of the normal body. With this new insight, you can now start to make better decisions about your posture. Adjust your habits, make postural corrections and reinforce these changes with functional exercises. Not only will you look better, but you will feel better and you will probably be able to perform better for a longer time.
“Stand up straight and don’t slouch”
Your Mom
Train hard, train smart!