How COMFORTABLE are you at STANDING?

3 TIPS for an easier longer stand and pain free muscles and joints

DO you have sore muscles or joints after standing for a few minutes or longer?

CAN’T WAIT to sit down while standing? Looking for that chair that isn’t there? Nothing to lean on?

DO you have pain in your muscles or joints while standing and waiting for bus, train or subway?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions –  you need to find better ways to stand, with pain free muscles.

3 STRATEGIES FOR MORE EFFICIENT STANDING:

Try each one out and see what helps you. Sometimes a combination is also helpful.  

• Start with good footwear. Avoid shoes with heels. Choose a flat shoe if possible. A shoe with some shock absorption in the sole can be more helpful.

• Tighten your glutes! Otherwise known anatomically as the gluteal or buttock muscles, or glutes for short. With your feet hip width apart, keep your weight even on both your feet. You should feel some contact to the ground under your heels as well as your toes. An imaginary line from your hips and pelvis should fall just in front of your ankle bone. Squeeze your gluteal (buttock) muscles while standing and feel the extra support that you will have. Start with a 5 second hold and repeat five to ten times. Progress hold time as tolerated. Do not hold your breath. 

• Use your core abdominal muscles – pull your belly in towards your spine without using your back muscles – Do not hold your breath. You are only pulling in enough to harness support, but you should be able to breathe and talk normally and carry out your work as needed without too much effort. While keeping your weight even on both feet (placed hip width apart)  – you can also visualize an imaginary string lifting the back of your head upwards and creating a small space between each of your vertebrae in your spine. Remember not to tense your back muscles. 

Avoid these two common standing postures:

• Standing with one hip shifted the side. This posture is frequently used when holding babies and small children, or when you do not have enough support in your core (pelvis/hips/spine) for standing in neutral alignment. See if you catch yourself standing this way.

• A “sway back” posture. This is standing with your hips and pelvis shifted forwards towards your toes, the spine reclines backwards and the head compensates by jutting forward. A real no-no as it places strain and stress on many muscles and joints. 

Lessen pain naturally and gain more function

Standing with correct alignment and support can enable longer standing time with less strain to your muscles and joints.

Practice – make it functional!

Start with these 3 tips and make it part of your everyday life for pain free muscles. Practice at traffic lights, in line at a store, waiting for the bus or train, in an elevator, at a gallery, or while talking to a friend. No one will even know what you are doing and you may even earn some postural compliments!

Leah Segelov, PT, MA is a Physical Therapist for 20+ years and owner of Segelov Physical Therapy, PLLC in Manhattan, New York. She may be contacted via e-mail at leah@segelovpt.com

Leah specializes in musculoskeletal and orthopedic conditions, TMJ disorders and facial paralysis.

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