Do you have good posture?

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CowTown

New member
It is better to have good posture. One way to get better posture is by doing back exericses so your muscles become stronger and can handle the straight posture. I think with all the CF coughing it makes our muscles tighten up (which leads to hunched posture) and stiff which is not good. I have poor posture too, and only when I focus on strengthening my back muscles can I stand straight up and down for longer periods of time without back pain. For me it's lower back muscles that I need to work on.


kelly, mynewfy
 
H

HairGirl

New member
I'm with Kelly on this, when I am working out especially my stomach and back muscles I tend to sit up straighter, therefore breathing better. A massage is a good idea, it has been studied that massaging those muscles helps to breathe better, it does cost money so I usually just have my husband massage my back muscles when he can. I'm not the best at it though, right now I have very poor posture.
 
H

HairGirl

New member
I'm with Kelly on this, when I am working out especially my stomach and back muscles I tend to sit up straighter, therefore breathing better. A massage is a good idea, it has been studied that massaging those muscles helps to breathe better, it does cost money so I usually just have my husband massage my back muscles when he can. I'm not the best at it though, right now I have very poor posture.
 
H

HairGirl

New member
I'm with Kelly on this, when I am working out especially my stomach and back muscles I tend to sit up straighter, therefore breathing better. A massage is a good idea, it has been studied that massaging those muscles helps to breathe better, it does cost money so I usually just have my husband massage my back muscles when he can. I'm not the best at it though, right now I have very poor posture.
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
I have bed posture as well.

I actually went to physical therapy for posture and other muscle related issues with CF. The guy was telling me that with the way we breathe - tends to be more shallow and fast - that we use our muscles differently.

It is hard to correct the problem once your body is used to it because your pectoral/chest muscle can shorten and your back muscles can stretch out. You back muscles tend to stretch and fatigue, so that when you do try to sit up straight it gives that tired/sore feeling after a few minutes.

The therapist said like some have mentioned about exercising to build strength in your back muscles. I don't know if you have seen those stretch exercise bands - they come in different colors you can get them at sporting good stores - I used those in therapy. They gave me a list of exercises to do that were strength building and toning type exercises. I do not do them now - regularly - but when I was doing them they worked really well. If you use the bands just make sure you get the right one - depending on your strength level will depend on the color you need. I will try to find a link with exercises on it that I used for the bands - I do not feel like breaking each of them down and explaining them right now as there were severa that I did.


Lindsey
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
I have bed posture as well.

I actually went to physical therapy for posture and other muscle related issues with CF. The guy was telling me that with the way we breathe - tends to be more shallow and fast - that we use our muscles differently.

It is hard to correct the problem once your body is used to it because your pectoral/chest muscle can shorten and your back muscles can stretch out. You back muscles tend to stretch and fatigue, so that when you do try to sit up straight it gives that tired/sore feeling after a few minutes.

The therapist said like some have mentioned about exercising to build strength in your back muscles. I don't know if you have seen those stretch exercise bands - they come in different colors you can get them at sporting good stores - I used those in therapy. They gave me a list of exercises to do that were strength building and toning type exercises. I do not do them now - regularly - but when I was doing them they worked really well. If you use the bands just make sure you get the right one - depending on your strength level will depend on the color you need. I will try to find a link with exercises on it that I used for the bands - I do not feel like breaking each of them down and explaining them right now as there were severa that I did.


Lindsey
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
I have bed posture as well.

I actually went to physical therapy for posture and other muscle related issues with CF. The guy was telling me that with the way we breathe - tends to be more shallow and fast - that we use our muscles differently.

It is hard to correct the problem once your body is used to it because your pectoral/chest muscle can shorten and your back muscles can stretch out. You back muscles tend to stretch and fatigue, so that when you do try to sit up straight it gives that tired/sore feeling after a few minutes.

The therapist said like some have mentioned about exercising to build strength in your back muscles. I don't know if you have seen those stretch exercise bands - they come in different colors you can get them at sporting good stores - I used those in therapy. They gave me a list of exercises to do that were strength building and toning type exercises. I do not do them now - regularly - but when I was doing them they worked really well. If you use the bands just make sure you get the right one - depending on your strength level will depend on the color you need. I will try to find a link with exercises on it that I used for the bands - I do not feel like breaking each of them down and explaining them right now as there were severa that I did.


Lindsey
 
L

LisaV

New member
A lot of the round shouldered positoins (including leaning forward on your elbows) are positions that are suggested for reducing shortness of breath ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/2400/2407.asp?index=9446">http://www.clevelandclinic.org...00/2407.asp?index=9446</a> ) . Probably people discover this for themselves and instead of just using these positions when they are very SOB and need to recover, just start going into the positions most of the time and end up round shouldered.
 
L

LisaV

New member
A lot of the round shouldered positoins (including leaning forward on your elbows) are positions that are suggested for reducing shortness of breath ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/2400/2407.asp?index=9446">http://www.clevelandclinic.org...00/2407.asp?index=9446</a> ) . Probably people discover this for themselves and instead of just using these positions when they are very SOB and need to recover, just start going into the positions most of the time and end up round shouldered.
 
L

LisaV

New member
A lot of the round shouldered positoins (including leaning forward on your elbows) are positions that are suggested for reducing shortness of breath ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/2400/2407.asp?index=9446">http://www.clevelandclinic.org...00/2407.asp?index=9446</a> ) . Probably people discover this for themselves and instead of just using these positions when they are very SOB and need to recover, just start going into the positions most of the time and end up round shouldered.
 
S

sue35

New member
Yep I slouch all the time. In fact I was slouching the whole time reading this! It just is so much easier to breathe. I find that now I curl up in my sleep also. I try to stand up straight but after awhile it is just hard.

Anyone know any exercises for the back that don't involve any of the bands? For some reason I am terrified of them and that they will break<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
S

sue35

New member
Yep I slouch all the time. In fact I was slouching the whole time reading this! It just is so much easier to breathe. I find that now I curl up in my sleep also. I try to stand up straight but after awhile it is just hard.

Anyone know any exercises for the back that don't involve any of the bands? For some reason I am terrified of them and that they will break<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
S

sue35

New member
Yep I slouch all the time. In fact I was slouching the whole time reading this! It just is so much easier to breathe. I find that now I curl up in my sleep also. I try to stand up straight but after awhile it is just hard.

Anyone know any exercises for the back that don't involve any of the bands? For some reason I am terrified of them and that they will break<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
Hey Sue,

I just wanted to let you know - I kind of feared the snapping of the bands as well. But have to tear them before they will break - at least the ones I have used anyway ... when I say tear .. I mean tear like you would tear tape - if you start a small tear then YES they will start to tear completely across .. but they do not snap and go flying and hurt you .. like say a rubberband. Just wanted to let you know that in case that was the only reason you were not wanting to use one.

In place of the bands I have also used a yoga strap or a belt to stretch my back muscles. I hold the strap/belt with one hand over my head - the belt/strap dangling behind my head down my back .. and I grab the other end with my opposite hand at the bottom of my back. Then I slowly move the hand that is above my head down the strap to the point that I can feel the stretch but it is not painful.

I also use those straps and or the bands to help me stretch my legs out. I wrap it around the ball of my foot and use them to steady my feet and legs as I stretch - the stretching helps with lower back pain. I had a therapist tell me one time that lower back pain may be common with someone with breathing problems ... especially if they have tight hamstrings (like I do). The reasoning : If your hamstrings are tight they will pull down on your lower back muscles, and your upper back muscles are tight and shortened because of the rapid breathing and constant working they have to do with chronic pulmonary problems and they pull up on your lower back muscles. So there you have hamstrings pulling down and upper back muscles pulling up they stretch out your lower back muscles causing pain. That is why it can be beneficial if you have lower lumbar pain/strain (lower back(muscle) pain) to stretch your hamstrings. If you do it consistently it should help relieve the lower back pain if that is indeed the problem.

Sorry that last paragraph was maybe off topic of the thread - but I know I had serious problems with that a in high school and the stretches are really the only thing that helped and that keep the pain under control and gone. It was to the point - at a certain time - that I could not bend over more than a quarter of the way without crying -- so the stretching does help ALOT.

Sorry I will shush now lol.

Lindsey

Also crunches, sit ups those type things are beneficial to help with posture too.
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
Hey Sue,

I just wanted to let you know - I kind of feared the snapping of the bands as well. But have to tear them before they will break - at least the ones I have used anyway ... when I say tear .. I mean tear like you would tear tape - if you start a small tear then YES they will start to tear completely across .. but they do not snap and go flying and hurt you .. like say a rubberband. Just wanted to let you know that in case that was the only reason you were not wanting to use one.

In place of the bands I have also used a yoga strap or a belt to stretch my back muscles. I hold the strap/belt with one hand over my head - the belt/strap dangling behind my head down my back .. and I grab the other end with my opposite hand at the bottom of my back. Then I slowly move the hand that is above my head down the strap to the point that I can feel the stretch but it is not painful.

I also use those straps and or the bands to help me stretch my legs out. I wrap it around the ball of my foot and use them to steady my feet and legs as I stretch - the stretching helps with lower back pain. I had a therapist tell me one time that lower back pain may be common with someone with breathing problems ... especially if they have tight hamstrings (like I do). The reasoning : If your hamstrings are tight they will pull down on your lower back muscles, and your upper back muscles are tight and shortened because of the rapid breathing and constant working they have to do with chronic pulmonary problems and they pull up on your lower back muscles. So there you have hamstrings pulling down and upper back muscles pulling up they stretch out your lower back muscles causing pain. That is why it can be beneficial if you have lower lumbar pain/strain (lower back(muscle) pain) to stretch your hamstrings. If you do it consistently it should help relieve the lower back pain if that is indeed the problem.

Sorry that last paragraph was maybe off topic of the thread - but I know I had serious problems with that a in high school and the stretches are really the only thing that helped and that keep the pain under control and gone. It was to the point - at a certain time - that I could not bend over more than a quarter of the way without crying -- so the stretching does help ALOT.

Sorry I will shush now lol.

Lindsey

Also crunches, sit ups those type things are beneficial to help with posture too.
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
Hey Sue,

I just wanted to let you know - I kind of feared the snapping of the bands as well. But have to tear them before they will break - at least the ones I have used anyway ... when I say tear .. I mean tear like you would tear tape - if you start a small tear then YES they will start to tear completely across .. but they do not snap and go flying and hurt you .. like say a rubberband. Just wanted to let you know that in case that was the only reason you were not wanting to use one.

In place of the bands I have also used a yoga strap or a belt to stretch my back muscles. I hold the strap/belt with one hand over my head - the belt/strap dangling behind my head down my back .. and I grab the other end with my opposite hand at the bottom of my back. Then I slowly move the hand that is above my head down the strap to the point that I can feel the stretch but it is not painful.

I also use those straps and or the bands to help me stretch my legs out. I wrap it around the ball of my foot and use them to steady my feet and legs as I stretch - the stretching helps with lower back pain. I had a therapist tell me one time that lower back pain may be common with someone with breathing problems ... especially if they have tight hamstrings (like I do). The reasoning : If your hamstrings are tight they will pull down on your lower back muscles, and your upper back muscles are tight and shortened because of the rapid breathing and constant working they have to do with chronic pulmonary problems and they pull up on your lower back muscles. So there you have hamstrings pulling down and upper back muscles pulling up they stretch out your lower back muscles causing pain. That is why it can be beneficial if you have lower lumbar pain/strain (lower back(muscle) pain) to stretch your hamstrings. If you do it consistently it should help relieve the lower back pain if that is indeed the problem.

Sorry that last paragraph was maybe off topic of the thread - but I know I had serious problems with that a in high school and the stretches are really the only thing that helped and that keep the pain under control and gone. It was to the point - at a certain time - that I could not bend over more than a quarter of the way without crying -- so the stretching does help ALOT.

Sorry I will shush now lol.

Lindsey

Also crunches, sit ups those type things are beneficial to help with posture too.
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
If I am well or when I was working my posture is A+. However; its the first thing to give (even before my appetite) if I am tired or getting sick. My shoulders have the curve to them, but not bad yet as a rule. I always remember a girl in school who hunched & she had no respiratory problems, but it annoyed the ***** out of me. I always wanted to go behind her & pull my shoulders back like my Dad use to do.
 
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