The correct way to sit:
It is important to maintain the normal curve of your spine which is called neutral spine, so when you are sitting, often times we are sitting back on our tail bone and we want to get up onto what is the sit bone.The foundation of sitting is at the pelvis, so put your hands under your hips. You want to be on the sit bone and tilt the pelvis just slightly forward, so you set up the base of your posture.
The next area is the rib cage, which you want to get over the pelvis, so you want to get the breast bone up just a little bit and don't tense the shoulders. The last thing you want to do is align your ears. You want to make sure that the ears are pulled back over the shoulders so you have a nice vertical line.
How to vacuum properly:
Use your whole body when you're vacuuming. Place your legs far apart so you are in a more stable position. You want your back straight and your shoulder again back in the socket. Instead of using your arm use your body so you can transfer your weight from one leg to the other. Keep your abdominals engaged and your shoulder back so you are doing minimal motion with your arms and you're using your body instead.
How to lift properly:
Get as close as you can to the object, with one leg around it and then before you rich down to get it, you're going to do a squat and hinge from your hips so your back is not actually bending, you're hinging from your hip. Grab the item, and then before you lift it bring it close and pull it up to your chest. Use your abdominals and your legs, then stand up straight and walk over to where you're going to drop it down, and use your knees to bring it down.
The best way to put a suitcase in the overhead compartment:
Bend your knees, and keep your back straight and grab the suitcase. Bring it close to your body. Come as close as you can to the overhead bin without twisting. It's important to keep your ribs down and your shoulder blades in place. Keep your stomach engaged and bring that suitcase overhead. Really be mindful to not shrug your shoulder and not arch your back.
How to lift your child from a crib:
You want to get as close as you can to the edge of the crib and you don't want to twist. Bring your legs in a staggered position in a wide base support. You're going to reach down and you don't want to bend your spine, you want to hinge from your hips. Grab the baby and keep your shoulders down and your back nice and straight. Bring the baby close to you, up to your chest and then use your legs to stand up.
Exercises that are good for carrying, lifting, and for posture
Equipment needed: ball and some light weights
1) Drape yourself over the ball and lay on top of the ball with weights in hand. Keep your knees down .The muscles you're targeting are between the shoulder blades and the back. Start by engaging the shoulder blades down your back and towards each other. You want to keep your chin down and your neck long so you are not tensing up your neck. Then you are going to bring your arms up and lift your spine back, but keep your head down, so the neck is not moving. Come up and all the way down, keeping your shoulders back and chin down.
2) Simple exercise for strengthening the core. The core muscles help to stabilize the trunk, and the goal is to not move your pelvis as you are doing the exercise, you want to keep very stable. Press your pelvis down into the floor and keep your abdominals engaged pressing into the front of the spine. Tthen you are going to use your legs as the weight for the resistance for your core, so your legs are just going to come up to a ninety degree angle. You are going to draw your navel into your spine, and bring your legs towards you and then away. The goal is to not rock the pelvis at all.
About Gina Giammanco:
A graduate of New York University and a native New Yorker, Gina began work as a physical therapist at St. Vincent's Hospital in the acute rehabilitation department. From 1993 to 1997, she combined her many years of dance and physical therapy studies to work with performs at Performing Arts Physical Therapy in NYC. At the national American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) conference in 1997, Gina co-conducted a short course to physical therapists on evaluation and treatment of the dancer. In August of 1997, she moved to the Bay Area and joined the staff of RED HAWK Physical Therapy. She continues to apply her in-depth knowledge of manual therapy techniques as well as her extensive Pilates-based training to the rehabilitation of dancers, performers and others. She is currently the in-house PT for the San Francisco company of Stomp. Gina is a avid mountain biker, yogi and flamenco dancer.
Red Hawk Physical Therapy<br>
580 Market Street, Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-788-2100
www.redhawkpt.com
