Bad posture

[DLKeeper1]

My pain became rather severe from the forward head leaning and I know other problems can result. So basically just always make an effort to keep your head back in an aligned position.

[Jym Newbie]

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Your head leaning forward: A sign of "upper cross syndrome", a muscular imbalance where the pectorals, trapezius and levator scapula are "tight". The deep neck flexors, rhomboids, and serratus anterior are "weak". So you want to increase flexibility (stretch) the tight areas and strengthen the weak areas.

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What are good stretches for the pectorals, trapesizus, and levator scapula?

[Jetboy2]

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Silly question but how big of an issue is the head leaning forward really?

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Depends on the individual.

If that person is suffering pain on a daily basis, it's an issue.

[D.L.M.]

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Silly question but how big of an issue is the head leaning forward really?

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Depends on the individual.

If that person is suffering pain on a daily basis, it's an issue.

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Im at the point where I can strain all my muscles to make my back straight, but I cant hold it for long, and yes it hurts like hell.

[Blarg]

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Silly question but how big of an issue is the head leaning forward really?

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends on the individual.

If that person is suffering pain on a daily basis, it's an issue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Im at the point where I can strain all my muscles to make my back straight, but I cant hold it for long, and yes it hurts like hell.

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I've had scoliosis from the time I was a young kid. The two things I found helped were work on the lower back and upper back and, most of all, consciousness of the way tai-chi advocates holding your body as if it were suspended from a string on the top of your head. Let your body hang down along your spine from the very top, instead of trying to wrestle it up from the base of the spine - if you do like I did. The body will eventually fatigue from the strain of holding itself up muscularly, especially if you have scoliosis or other tough back problems. But letting your body straighten itself out under the force of gravity will take all the pressure off and a lot of the willpower out of the equation.

I am sorry I cannot be more specific than this, but with practice, you may well find attentive relaxation much more powerful than endless willpower fighting against your body's finite abilities in keeping your back straight. In fact, I often feel my neck cracking as if I went to a chiropractor when I concentrate on feeling my head and body "suspended as if from a string." Most bodies hold a lot of unnecessary tension in areas their would-be masters scarcely notice except for feelings of fatigue, low energy, and general discomfort and malaise or irritability. The tai-chi/internal arts method can unravel a lot of those kinks all at once, in a very natural fashion.

[D.L.M.]

Blarg, Can you suggest a good tai chi book thats easy to follow for a complete novice? And also how do you feel about yoga?

BTW that neanderthal no more is gold, I can really feel new burns when I use those lifts.