Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Posture

Does anyone else find it hard to keep a good posture?
I'm quite good with all my stretches and stuff, but I am always finding myself 'hunched over'. Even more so now that I am going though a bad spell of SI & lumber pain with sciatia.
Muscles are getting 'trapped' and going into spasm over my ribcage as a result, and I hate this feeling.

When I do correct my posture, I always ask my husband to check if I really am 'straight'. He always says no, and moves me into a vertical position. However, after being put into this position, I feel like I am leaning backwards too much....its wierd...

I wonder if I am slightly 'stooped' already, and this is why I feel odd? Make sense?


Amber...........

hey amber it is a wwierd feeling for sure..I to am hunched over and I to have been doing the extention/flextion exercises most of them I cant do because of the pain and spasms it causes..my wife doent try to straighten me out anymore due to the pain it causes when she tries....my docs lecture me about my posture all the time, but I dont care anymore what they say to me....oak

I am older then I look and I feel older than I am

HI Amber,

I feel the same. I think that I am straight, but others correct me. I tend to have some flexion in the hips and that puts my body in a forward tilt.

It is ackward to lean back.

I do back extension exercises almost daily but it is a fight to stay straight.

Betty

Hi Amber!

I would say it's the most common exterior symptom of AS.

For example, it's impossible for me to stand with my back and heels against a wall and at the same time lean my head against it. When I do my "on the back" excerises on the floor, I have to use a mattress and a headrest of some kind, if I don't want to have to keep my head in the air all the time. But I haven't had the to-much-leaning-backwards-feeling you described, when I try to staighten up. Just the "normal" crunching noises from the neck and spine. When I think I've straighten enough to look normal and look in a mirror, I'm still hunched.

By the way, airshows are a total waste on me. One gets bored of only seeing the taxiing aircraft.


Had to quit play volleyball too.


/Mattias

Me to Amber I think I'm falling backwards or think I'm straight and my Mom will say nope. But it is wierd because I feel like I'm staight but I'm not. Mike...

Yes, good posture is hard for me to maintain even with daily stretching exercises - I used to be much better at it before my neck got bad. What I am finding, though, is that my shoulders are starting to slump which is making it near impossible to look as if I'm just casually slouching. Am starting to have that 'AS look' and lately people turn and say things like, 'whatever is wrong with your neck ?' So, Mattias, airshows are probably not up there in my list of things to do for fun and I'm not likely to take up birdwatching any time soon :)

Yep, gotta remind yourself, don't want to fuse like that. When my neck seizes up, I have to turn my whole body. Recently, I ran into an old school chum at the pharmacy.
(Hadn't seen him in years)
Having just returned from the dentist, my lower lip was completely numb on one side,
(was probably drooling a bit too) "Duuuude" he says, (eyes wide) "you have a stroke or something?" " You're walking like Frankenstein." I nearly fell on the floor laughing, but then, I would have had to get back up. Come to think of it, I DO walk like Frankenstein.
You get used to it.

of course no one says you cant lay down on your back to watch an airshow or go bird watching just make sure you got some healthy friends to help you get up when its all over.....oak

I am older then I look and I feel older than I am

A few years ago, before I was dx'd w/AS, I read up on the Alexander Technique (AT) because my back was bugging me. I got a book and followed a few guidelines, and it did feel wierd. My steps felt much lighter. I felt taller. It was wierd but good.

AT's doctrine is that most people thrust their hips too far forward when they stand, leading them to slouch in order to keep their balance. This was sure true with me; simply being aware of the position of your hips can make a huge, instant difference.

AT is really supposed to be done by a special practicioner who can check you from the outside; I only had a book to guide me. My brother said he saw one instantly make a girl in his drama class instantly appear a foot taller. Quite dramatic.

By the way I read when Sting was starting out he used to lie flat on his back to combat stoopage. He is said to be into AT and yoga.

There are a couple of yoga poses I use to try to straighten up. Usually there is a sound like someone popping their knuckles, but it would have to be like really big dinosaur-sized knuckles. My former spouse heard this once and thought the neighbors had slammed a door.

I am 35 and have been watching my posture for several years. Right now I have been trying to do something daily to take care of it. I work at a computer all day and am naturally prone to slouch anyway but I think I am actually improving lately.

There are techniques out there for you to explore, with some well-trained guidance if at all possible. Be gentle with yourself and don't despair!

frïð

HI there,

Thanks for the info,

I do actually adopt 'Alexander Technique' postures. My GP put me onto this a year or so ago, as he has back problems his self. It does seem to help, but I still feel 'odd' sitting/standing in the 'stances'. Doesnt feel natural.....however, I persevere! ..............