How does Posture affect joint pain?

Key takeaway: Human beings are not symmetrical, that's not how we are built, but there is a difference between a 60/40 imbalance and a 90/10 imbalance. We may never reach 50/50 but the closer we can get to it, the better chances we have of joint centration, improved access to primary movers and stabilizers, healthier movement quality and diminished chances of injury.

There's this pointless debate that has been ongoing in Therapy and Fitness circles about effects of Posture and its role when it comes to Movement & Performance. Some say that "there's no such thing as bad posture", some say "the only bad posture is the one you're stuck in". They're both right, and they're both wrong. Let me explain.

What is posture?

Posture is how a body at rest is carried, how the skeleton is stacked, how the connection between joints are positioned.

Joint position affects muscular recruitment when asked to produce force/movement at a specific joint.

How joint position changes muscle recruitment

At the core of the issue is the imbalance when it comes to the support and stability, surrounding the joint in question.

In example, someone that's got a rounded shoulder (kyphotic) posture, is going to have less recruitment of the musculature behind their shoulders. For those of us anatomy savvy, this is the posterior deltoids, rhomboids, mid & lower traps. This is due to the musculature being in a lengthened state, where the neural signal is spread out. This same person will have an easier time recruiting/engaging musculature that is in a short position, their anterior deltoids, pectoralis major/minor, upper traps. This is due to the shortened position, where the neural signal is saturated.

The same is true when we see someone in an arched back (lordotic) position. They will have lengthened anterior abdominal core musculature that is more challenging to access and engage, in relation to shortened lowerback (lumbar) musculature that is easier to recruit.

Stabilizers vs. primary movers: why joint position matters

Your body runs on two neuromuscular systems. Closer to the skeleton, smaller and denser tissue is designed to provide stability. Closer to the skin, the major muscles, your primary movers, are designed to initiate and produce movement.

Good posture lets each system do its own job. When a joint sits in a poor position, the primary movers can't get a clean signal, so the stabilizers get asked to stabilize AND move. That's a job they weren't built for, and in our experience it sits behind the majority of the musculoskeletal problems we see.

How imbalances lead to injury

How do these imbalances affect function? Depending on the mechanism of injury, sometimes it'll be the shortened musculature that is being asked to create movement AND provide stability, sometimes it will be the lengthened tissue that is being asked to take on both roles of stability and primary mover. Unless there is a balanced supportive muscle tone around the joint in question, we will witness an overload injury. Sometimes this happens due to a singular event, and sometimes it just accumulates over time until something has to give.

Why being stuck is the real problem

This is where both sides of the posture debate meet. The human body adapts to the stimulus it's fed. Most of our everyday movements, and most exercise programs, keep us inside a limited range of motion, so over time we lose access to the rest of it.

A rounded or arched position isn't dangerous on its own. Being unable to get out of it is. If you can't reach the positions on either side of your default, your joints have no choice but to keep loading the same tissues the same way.

How do you improve your posture?

We don't fix posture by holding yourself rigid. We restore your options, using the same three steps we use for every joint:

• ALiGN Release: use "pressure therapy". This means you need to create enough of a stressing load on the tissues to force a change by exhausting them. You can use familiar tools such as a foam roller or ball to release the tissues holding you in your default position. The method differs from traditional "foam rolling" in that we ask to spotlight-stretch the targeted tissue, while at the same time demanding neural signal/movement, which in turn will acclimate the tissue that is being targeted. This is what we refer to as "Movement of Tissue vs Movement of Pressure".

• ALiGN Reposition: controlled joint rotations that take your spine, shoulder blades and hips to their end ranges every day, so you regain control of the positions you've lost. Improve the capacity and active range-of-motion, joint-centration, which in turn will improve neuromuscular access to surrounding musculature.

• ALiGN Reengage: load the joint in its proper position so the lengthened, harder-to-recruit muscles get stronger and start pulling their weight. All puns intended.

Everyday habits for better posture

• Change position often. Rotate between sitting, kneeling and standing at your workstation.

• Breathe into your ribcage. Let it expand front, sides and back to keep it mobile and stacked over your pelvis.

• Start the day with a short movement habit. Even 5 to 10 minutes counts.

• Notice your defaults. Where do you settle when you stop paying attention? That's your starting point.

What this means for you

Human beings are not symmetrical, that's not how we are built, but there is a difference between a 60/40 imbalance and a 90/10 imbalance. We may never reach 50/50 but the closer we can get to it, the better chances we have of joint centration, improved access to primary movers and stabilizers, healthier movement quality and diminished chances of injury.

Please check out our "The Buckets Method: How to Improve Movement Quality" article for a deeper look at this subject. If you'd like us to assess your own imbalances, work with us.

This article is for education and isn't a substitute for an individual assessment. If you're in pain, get checked by a qualified professional.