Posture Matters

Photo by Charl Durand: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-statue-of-a-man-6486115/

I woke up last Sunday morning with an ache in my lower back, and that pain continued into Monday. It made sitting in my office chair a challenge, even with frequent position shifting. It made moving at my normal pace while walking my dog difficult. Most of the day, I was stretching, rolling my joints, and feeling like something in my body had been wrenched or knocked out of place. Apparently, it’s now possible for me to sleep wrong!

My chiropractor was able to see me last-minute on Tuesday afternoon, though fortunately the severity of the ache had lessened a bit by then. The adjustment felt amazing, like my joints and back had just been waiting for someone with the right skills to make them feel better. By the next morning, my back had mostly stopped complaining.

This situation reminded me yet again what terrible posture I often have. Like many people my age and younger, I probably have “text-neck”, a stiffness of my upper spine that results from frequently looking down (at my smartphone). I also slouch when seated quite frequently. I actually adjusted my office chair last Monday because I realized the current settings were enabling my bad habits.

I’m in my early thirties, but I didn’t expect to already be getting hit with muscle and joint issues. A lot of people older than me joke I’m too young or healthy-looking for that. I just shrug, because it seems apparent to me that musculoskeletal issues don’t care how old you are.

Now, as a creative writer, I’m a sucker for a good metaphor, and the idea of “posture” is just begging me to run with it. Thinking about how I hold myself on a daily basis, whether sitting or standing, gets me thinking about my mental and spiritual posture toward life: that is, my attitude and perspective.

What moods and emotions am I allowing to control me day-to-day? What mindset shifts do I need to practice so I don’t do things I’ll one day regret? What questions do I need to ask myself and God to gain more self-awareness, discernment, and wisdom about the world around me?

These questions remind me of another visual metaphor, one my Papa (my paternal grandfather) cleverly conjured. An engineer who helped with the United States’ early nuclear submarine programs, he had a 3D plaque of a submarine that he kept over one of his doors. Occasionally he would tilt it so it was canted, or he’d tilt it back to its correct position if he found it wasn’t straight. In his typical punny fashion, he called it an “attitude adjustment” (a reference to how submarines are piloted).

I need attitude adjustments sometimes, and to make the metaphor both symbolic and literal, I often find that my physical posture can affect that.

If I’m slouching or lying down, that’s a signal to my body that it should rest or be apathetic.

If I’m sitting or standing up straight, that’s a signal that I should be ready and raring to go.

If I’m moving around, that’s a signal that I have things to do and need to focus on accomplishing a task.

And one other posture I’ve rediscovered recently: I’m far more likely to be able to focus on prayer and meditation on Scripture when I’m in some sort of kneeling position, rather than merely sitting down.

What we do with our bodies matters. Our posture matters. Because the littlest things can add up to harm or benefit us in the long run.