Sway-back posture has several characteristics. The head is forward. There is increased flexion in the upper back. The ribs are displaced behind the hips. The pelvis is tilted back, yet it sways forward from the feet. Both the hip joints and the knee joints are hyperextended. The ankle joint is usually neutral.
The result is someone whose trunk seems to trail behind the rest of the body. The chest appears to be sunken, and the hips seem to push forward. Pregnant women tend to have this posture, and some women continue to stand this way when carrying their children after they are born, to offset baby weight and have their arms free to perform tasks.
Because the human body was not designed to function in this posture, pain can result. Someone with sway-back posture may complain of back pain.
The Muscles that are Affected by Sway-Back Posture
A person that has the sway-back posture has weak hip flexors and external obliques. The muscles that extend the back are weak as well. The forward head creates weak neck flexors. In addition, the low back can be very tight, requiring stretching. The hamstrings and internal obliques may also be tight.
Pilates Exercises Can Help Improve Posture
A Pilates trainer will begin by conducting a postural assessment. The assessment is not a diagnosis. Rather, it serves as a road map for the instructor. She will use it as a guide to create a program that will correct muscular imbalances. To strengthen the obliques, she may introduce the Half Roll Back and the Obliques Rollback. To strengthen the upper back extensors she might teach the Breast Stroke and Swan Dive. Leg Pull Front and Elephant would be good options to strengthen hip flexors.
Careful Positioning Ensures Safety and Effectiveness
Pilates instructors pay careful attention to the way that a client carries himself during exercise. Starting in the correct position is important to ensure that the exerciser is not only safe, but he reaps the greatest possible benefit from the session. A sway-back will need to be reminded to align his ribs over his hips when performing standing or sitting exercises. He will benefit from the use of props, which ensure a proper start position. A sway-back will probably need a pad under his head when lying on his back. He may need to sit on a raised platform to perform sitting exercises.
A Pilates Instructor Can Help You Understand and Improve Your Posture
A good Pilates instructor can help you better understand your postural alignment. As she teaches you, you will become more aware of your body, where it stands in space, and how to better carry it. Before long you will be correcting yourself as you stand in line at the grocery store. You will take note of how you are holding your body as you sit in meetings. You will even readjust your rear-view mirror and car seat so that you can hold your body in neutral as you drive your car.
Related Articles
- How Pilates Can Improve Your Posture - describes the four most common forms of postural alignment and how Pilates exercises can improve posture
- What is Kyphosis Lordosis? - outlines what kyphosis-lordosis is and how Pilates exercises can improve it
- What is Flat-Back Posture? - explains which muscles are affected by flat-back posture and how those muscles can be strengthened with Pilates exercises
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