Postural Distortioned Kind of Running

 

Yesterday was a beautiful day for a run, so I laced up my sneakers and hit the pavement. I decided that I would run along the East River (like I usually do these days, because of the path's proximity to my home) to the Brooklyn Bridge. I haven't run that far south yet, and I thought, today is the day! According to www.mapmyrun.com, there and back added up to 5.25 miles. You can check out a map of my route here, if you're so inclined.

So, I'm running. And I'm feeling good. Then, these two dudes pass me (which happens frequently...I'm not the fastest runner of the bunch, but I'm cool with that) and I notice their postures as they speed by. Their shoulders are rounded and they both almost look hunched over as they jog along. I think, well, there's a common postural distortion for you. The rounding and elevation of the shoulders is so prevalent in most people nowadays, because a lot of us sit in front of computers all day, hunching over the keyboard and screen. Our chest muscles tighten and our back muscles become weak, causing this kind of look:

 

And here's a good example of some different postural distortions matched against what our posture should look like:

 

Maintaining this forward head, rounded shoulders kind of posture, inhibits your ability to achieve maximal benefits in exercise. Why? Because the systems of our body--the nervous system, the skeletal system, and the muscular system (also known as the kinetic chain)--work together, not independently, to produce movement. If one component of the kinetic chain is not working properly (i.e. a person experiences a postural distortion) "it will affect all other systems and ultimately affect movement."* So, if you're running with this postural distortion, you won't be able to run as fast, long, or as comfortably as you would if your body was in proper alignment. I wouldn't be surprised if you experience some injuries along the way, as well.

So how do you make sure that your body is in proper alignment? You strength train and you work on your core. Stay tuned to my next blog post for exercises you can do to maintain proper muscle balance and ensure that when you are exercising, you are getting maximum benefits! 

Be Well!

*NASM Optimum Performance Training (for the health and fitness professional) P. 24