GD'it! Sit up straight!

This is not medical advice.

I know the phone doesn’t help, but many seniors look the same.

I’ll get back to that boring old rotator cuff later. This scene was too good to pass up, and too enjoyable to write about.

Relax. Before you call child protective services, I did not say the title out loud. My wife and I are pretty strict about some things, yet you have to pick your battles. This one is a reminder. For respectful behavior at someone’s house, I might push a little harder.

Here’s a funny story about the kid pictured. You can skip ahead if uninterested.

He generally gets very good grades. Except for one we were discussing last night at dinner. He got a “C-” on a history test. I asked what part of history. He said “The Revolutionary War…”

I nearly dropped my fork. I grew up next to Concord and Lexington! I was literally born on Patriots Day! I took him to the Minuteman Museum!

I have several readers across the pond. Sorry about the whole, tea in the harbor thing. Maybe you can enjoy the trials of my lineage. Too soon?

Back to posture

But here’s the worst part. I’m a hypocrite. I was sitting this way well into my 30’s, 10 years after having seen patients for postural, back and neck pain issues!

All of a sudden it hit me one day. I am going to have to sit up straight. Not only for my own benefit, but to set an example. I have had several patient’s who told me how miffed they were when their overweight doctor told them they needed to lose weight.

So thrilled to participate…Red coat!

It was hard for me to correct this. It took about 3 months before it felt normal to sit up straight. Once I got used to this posture, slouching felt abnormal.

Slouching occasionally is not all that bad. Doing it all the time is not good. I can picture how your spine looks on x-ray, but so can you. That posture is going to lead to problems if you do that all the time. Prevention is way easier and less costly than the cure.

I’ve seen many adults in the 60’s who slouch this way. That’s kind of bizarre. But it’s never too late.

I have asked many patients to take a picture of their side profile with their cell phone. Once they see their posture in a picture, it is a huge wake up call. And it helps as a reminder, and to justify the concern.

Postural exercises will help this process. Yet the flip side to that coin is, if you complete the exercises, yet slouch all the time, you have negated all the effects of the exercise.

And right about now, you have a bubble over your head, just like my teenager…

“I know! ….god….”