Posture Exercises Help Prevent Shrinking With Old Age
Posted by admin on Jun 17, 2009
In this article I will be revealing some simple yet highly effective posture exercises that can help prevent the shortening of your spine with age.
Have you ever noticed that your parents or grandparents seem to be shrinking with old age? You are not mistaken, it is actually a well known scientific phenomenon.
According to a scientist by the name of Junghanns, the fluid-filled discs in the spine become compressed with age. What I found most interesting is that there is still no reason for this shrinking of the spine, other than muscular tension and gravity that continually compress the discs. In other words, if the spine is releived from these compressive forces on a regular basis, the discs can retain their shape and allow an individual to keep their full stature into their old age.
The disks in the spine are a little bit like sponges, as they absorb and release up to 20 times their weight in water. This gives the spine a natural shock absorbing property, but at the same time it is vulnerable to excessive and prolonged compression. When an individual has held excessive muscle tension for many years, it is normal for the discs to have shrunk in size causing the spine to lose its shape, strength, and resilience.
When you think about the spine in this way, it explains why many people have improved their posture simply by lying down for 20 minutes each day. It really helps reduce the pressure on your body, thus easing or preventing back pain. Please see my previous post (complete with a instructional video) for details.
Here are some other posture exercises for you to try: —
- Stand in front of a full length mirror and turn to the side. Take notice of the curves in your back and if possible have someone take a photo.
- Lie down in the semi-supine position for 20 minutes. Click here for instructions.
- Stand in front of the mirror immediately after lying down and take another photo from the exact same position.
