Sit up and put your back into it

9:57am Friday 8th February 2008

Health Editor Barry Nelson walks tall into the region's first specialist posture clinic

WHEN he was an Army fitness instructor Peter Bell used to spend a lot of his time telling squaddies to stand up straight and throw their shoulders back. Years later Peter is still doing the same, but instead of khaki-clad young men in battledress his customers tend to be middle-aged people in jogging pants.

Peter has come a long way since he was putting soldiers through their paces and has acquired an impressive list of qualifications in the health and fitness field, including an honours degree in sports therapy from Teesside University and registration with the Society of Sports Therapists. But the issue of posture remains high on Peter's health and fitness agenda.

He recently opened what he believes is the first specialist posture clinic in the region.

With consulting rooms in Darlington and Scotch Corner, Peter sees clients who are worried about the long-term effects of poor posture on their health. The aim is to scientifically diagnose the extent of any posture problem in a new way, advise how the problem can be corrected and provide support and advice.

Peter talks about the importance of correcting bad posture with the fervour of the religious convert. "During years of experience in the field of sports injury management and as a personal trainer I have become convinced that the key to many musculo-skeletal problems is posture," says Peter.

Certainly, if you glance at his brochure, the effects of faulty posture are legion: restricted range of movement in bone joints; arthritic changes; additional stress on spinal discs; abnormalities and pain in soft tissue; neural (nerve) irritation and long-term disability.

The only way to ward off problems caused by long-term bad posture, according to Peter, is to try to correct the way we walk, stand, sit and go about our daily lives.

"The worst enemy of posture is how we live today," says Peter, warming to his subject.

"Most of us have a pretty sedentary lifestyle and the human form is not designed to spend all day sitting down. Really, modern life for most people consists of going from one chair to another."

"We also tend to do the same repetitive movements over and over again and this means muscles develop in a certain way.

What happens is that people sit at a desk all day, the head comes forward to look at a computer screen and you are immediately putting extra pressure on your neck and spine."

Peter explains that as far as bad posture is concerned, gravity is our worst enemy.

"Gravity relentlessly pulls us towards the ground. If we fail to maintain good posture it puts extra weight and strain on our skeleton."

Clients who contact the Posture for Health Clinic are assessed by Peter using specially developed computer software. He takes a number of photographs of the client with a high-quality digital camera and the software is used to calculate how much a patient's posture is out of line. This allows him to work out a programme of exercises and mental prompts which the client can put into practice to correct their postural defects.

"I take as much information as possible when I meet the client, so I know about any injuries or underlying conditions. Then I take digital photographs which are analysed by software."

THE advice that he gives is tailor-made to the individual. "The advice will be aimed at educating the client to adopt the right posture. I would also prescribe specific exercises which can help specific problems."

A simple thing like consciously holding your head upright and avoiding stooping can begin to correct postural problems.

"You have to consciously hold your head back in a better position. The more you do this the more the weaker muscles will start to strengthen and the brain will pick up signals and help to retrain your whole system."

A recent client had an obvious stoop and after being analysed by Peter's software, he calculated that the angle of stoop was putting an extra four kilograms of strain on his spine.

"The software imposes a plumbline on images and this showed that this client had a severe deviation from the correct posture,"

says Peter.

He tells clients that he has no "magic dust"

to sprinkle on them and the only way to correct their problems is by keeping posture in the forefront of their minds. "They need to go away and really focus. They have to think about their posture all of the time, be aware of whether they are doing something which will add to the problem and consciously stop doing it."

The software provides Peter with some indication of the severity of the problem. An assessment of one to five is within the normal range. Five to ten suggests that action to correct poor posture is needed. He is under no illusions that he can work overnight miracles and clients usually need to come back to check on progress. "My treatments are not about getting perfect posture.They are about trying to reduce the chances of damage in the future."

As a professional health and fitness therapist Peter is never off duty. Any visit to a typical office underlines the extent of postural problems and the fact that the average person doesn't seem to care about looking after their body.

"It absolutely staggers me that people will own a car and think it is natural to get it serviced because they want it to be reliable.

They want it checked for mechanical wear and tear, but as far as their own bodies are concerned they ignore the symptoms."

So does he have any general posture tips?

Apart from sitting up straight and throwing the shoulders back, Peter recommends that people who have sedentary, office-based lifestyle should ensure that they vary their positions as much as possible.

"Don't just sit in the same position all the time, get up and walk around. They used to tell children to sit still, but that is the worst thing you can do." People are also advised to try to align the body so that they are not twisting the spine and pelvis.

"Ideally, the whole body should face forward,"

says Peter, who is currently offering posture analysis to clients at the special price of £25 instead of the normal £45. Subsequent appointments all cost £25 per session.

While most of the clinic's clients have tended to be people in their 40s, 50s and 60s some have been so impressed they have asked him to diagnose posture defects in their teenage children. "The earlier we can correct bad posture the better."

■ The Posture For Health Clinic can be contacted on 01325-489970 or 01325- 500555.

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