Standing Posture Lift Exercise Poor posture contributes to chronic lower back and neck pain. Unfortunately, as a culture our posture has deteriorated. Our slouchy posture is probably due to our comfy furniture. We relax too much when we sit and stand. This relaxation means we don’t use our core in muscles in everyday life. Then, each new generation mirrors bad posture to the next and we have become a nation with poor posture and chronic back pain. Google more primitive cultures and you will see how they stand and sit up straight. This exercise is only an exercise in the beginning, because once you get it, you will start standing with great posture all the time. Just give yourself some time to practice and this will improve back pain, help you breathe deeper and give you a way to increase your energy when tired. We need to begin by retraining our deep core muscles to hold us up, both seated (see my video on seated posture lift) and standing. The first part of the exercise is a standing pelvic tilt. This means, pull in your lower abs while standing. The second part is to envision lifting each vertebra from the lowest point to the crown of the head. Another way to say this, is imagine separating each vertebra from the one below it. Give yourself several minutes to practice this and notice how your posture changes! This will strengthen your deep spinal muscles as well as your abdominals. Let me know how you do! Dr Jamie Gutheil D.C. DrJamieDC@gmail.com