Lora Pavilack - Pain-Free Posture Handbook: 40 Dynamic Easy Exercises to Look and Feel Your Best

Copyright 2016 by Lora Pavilack and Nikki Alstedter

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Illustrations by PieR Gajewski 2016; Cover photograph ostill/shutterstock

ISBN: Print 978-1-62315-718-0 | eBook 978-1-62315-719-7

This book is dedicated to all our clients,
who have taught us more over the years
than we could ever teach them.

Posture is more than being still and sitting up straight. Posture is found through confidence, moving with grace in your body, and using good biomechanics during work, rest, play, and exercise.

As a chiropractor, I regularly examine posture, range of motion, and the condition of individual vertebra. Posture evaluation allows for a global look at the body: it is a window into the general health of the spine and, more importantly, the master system of the bodythe nervous system. When the spine has full range of motion and the nerves are free of interference, the body is able to heal itself from above, down, and inside out.

One of the most common ailments of the 21st century is called Upper Cross Syndrome. Occurring in people who work on a computer or with their hands set out in front of them, this condition is characterized by a forward positioning of the head, a hunching of the shoulders and winging out of the shoulder blades, and a rounding of the upper back. Left uncorrected, this posture can lead to dysfunction and disease affecting the spine and organs.

Sitting all day with bad posture, coupled with maintaining a sedentary lifestyle and eating a standard American diet, is a recipe for degenerative changes in the body and certain health crises. For example, someone may experience chronic tension headaches, caused when the neck muscles overwork to stabilize the spine as the head looks forward and down, or as acute lower back pain caused by sitting, lack of movement, and extremely tight hip flexor muscles.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, 9 out of 10 American adults will experience lower back pain; it is the most common reason for lost productivity and missed workdays. This is why many companies are investing in sit-stand workstations and encouraging their employees to walk during breaks. Through movement, vertebral discs are able to bring in nutrients and eliminate waste products. For this reason, movement is essential to a healthy, fully functioning spine and nervous system.

GYROTONIC Method, Pilates, and yoga are active ways to improve alignment and work on posture. Healthy posture, like many things in life, is a practice that takes time and repetition. You would never put braces on your teeth for one day and expect them to be perfectly straight; likewise, do not expect perfect posture overnight.

This book will provide you with the knowledge and motivation to shift not only your mind-set, but also your physical habits. You will instantly become more mindful of your posture as you read this book and follow the simple ways of retraining your body into proper alignment and overall better posture. Lora and Nikki are leaders in their industry, have had tremendous success with thousands of clients, and will provide the guideposts needed to transform your life. As Bruce Lipton, the father of epigenetics has said, Your genes may load the gun, but your environment pulls the trigger. You are in control of your movement, posture, and lifestyle. This book is the first step to the best version of yourself. I wish you well on this beautiful journey. Namaste.

DR. ELIZABETH M. WISNIEWSKI, DC, CMT, RYT

Vitalistic Visionary, Yoga teacher, Chiropractor

As children, we run, jump, and play all day. Then we start school, where we spend much of the day sitting at desks. This sedentary lifestyle continues as we become adults who stare at computer screens from 9 to 5, sit in traffic during our commutes, and return home to watch television from our sofas. We have become a society that sits way too much. The result? Weve also become a society with a lot of pain, primarily in our backs and necks. In fact, lower back pain is the single leading cause of disability nationwideexperts at the American Academy of Pain Medicine estimate that 60 to 80 percent of the American population will experience a back problem at some point in their life.

As teachers of Pilates, Gyrotonic, and Franklin exercise methods, we spend every day working with clients who struggle with lower back pain and want to move with more ease. We are convinced that the solution to this problem is developing good, natural posture.

Posture is such a fundamental part of having a body that most people dont even notice it. They dont even realize they have bad posture, or how life-changing good posture can be. Having good posture reduces pain, enhances healthy organ function, and helps you become more agile, energetic, and balanced. It doesnt just make you feel confident and beautiful, it makes you