Posture after OHS

[Michelle D]

Hi everybody, it's been a while.

My whole life prior to surgery people would always comment on my perfect posture and now my mom noticed I hunch over a lot. I'm sure it has something to do with nursing my sternum and the pain that good posture would cause for the first two months. How do I get my good posture back?

 

[dick0236]

Hi everybody, it's been a while.
How do I get my good posture back?

Have you tried going to a "physical therapist" or "gym trainer"?

 

[Freddie]

Your right Michelle, it is most likely it's because your nursing your sternum and the pain you might have felt in your shoulders, I had the same problems.

I went to a physical therapist and here are simple exercises/stretches that I was told to do:
1) while sitting in a chair, sit with your back and shoulders straight and grab the bottom of the chair with right hand then slowly stretch to bring your left ear to your left shoulder. Keep your neck in line/straight with your shoulder. Hold for 10 sec and repeat to the other side.
2) While standing using both arms reach for the ground. Again do your best to keep your shoulders straight, then reach for the sky. The idea is to stretch. You might it helpful to stand against a wall to notice if your shoulders are touching.
3) Even while your sitting watching TV, with your neck straight, bring your shoulders forward then back, as if your trying to bring your shoulder blades together.
4) Also while sitting (straight) bring your shoulders to your ears then stretch them down.
5) Look for spider webs. I'm not saying you have any but it's a real easy and can be a painful exercise (I still do this one). Just look for the cobwebs on the ceiling and double check those corners while keeping your shoulders back and stretching them down.

Remember all these exercises are to be done slowly in the beginning and when stretching, hold that "stretch" for about 10 sec.

Hope this helps.

 

[epstns]

Michelle, Some of your problem may be residual from the "guarding" effect immediately post-op, where you are (consciously or unconsciously) guarding your torso and sternum against any and all impacts, as well as not standing up straight because it stretched out the muscles that were so sore. This type of behavior can become a "learned" phenomenon in which the patient continues the behavior after the need is no longer present. It sounds like this has happened to you -- you are still "guarding" but should not need to any longer. I am not a doctor, but I agree with those who recommended a trainer or therapist who will help you back to your good posture. I would lean toward a therapist, as they should be trained to identify any lingering physical issues from recovery.

As long as there is nothing damaged or out of place, I would bet that your issues can be addressed with some help "re-learning" what you knew before.

 

[normofthenorth]

Michelle, I bet you're half-way there, having identified the problem. Getting professional help is a fine idea, though my approach would be to start at home, with DIY approaches. If it doesn't hurt any more to arch your back, clasp your hands together behind you, stand super-straight against a wall, and do all the other things you can think of to try to "re-learn" your previous great posture -- and to teach your brain and body that walking straight (or even stretching your chest muscles) DOESN'T hurt -- then I'd expect you to be able to fix this problem by yourself, while going about your everyday activities.

I've recovered now from TWO torn Achilles tendons(!), and there are similar "bad habits" that many of us AT patients have to un-learn after our legs are mostly healed. Many people learned to "gimp-walk" with their injured-side toe sticking out to the side (BAD idea!), or got out of alignment from walking on one fat-soled orthotic boot and one thin-soled shoe (Ditto!). Some people keep walking "wrong" until a professional points out the problem and devises some exercises to correct it. But many of us discover the problem without professional help (as you have), and figure out some commonsense logical ways to correct it.

 

[drivetopless]

Would Yoga help?

 

[AgilityDog]

I did that (hunching) while recovering, too. It's amazing how long the owies can last.

Just remember to stand up straight and sit up straight several times a day, re-stretching those muscles and scar tissue. It worked for me. I think just being concious of what you are doing will help you overcome it.

 

[Bryan B]

I always had a tendency to hunch over for years before my surgery. I think it had to do with my heart condition but it could have just been bad posture. I am an avid golfer and it might have become a habit from carrying a golf bag on my shoulder for 30 years. I still hunch over, especially when sitting down. I could see that hunching over would be more comfortable while your sternum is healing as it puts less stress on it and the surrounding muscles. I still hunch over as I guess it is ingrained in my brain. When I catch myself doing it I straighten up but that doesn't last long. Hopefully once your sternum in totally healed your posture will return to normal. I have accepted the fact that I will always look I am walking into a strong headwind.

 

[bdryer]

Michelle

Did the physiotherapist give a handful of exercises in the hospital? I'm thinking so. These exercises as Mickey mouse as they may seem are/were really very beneficial in protecting the sternum, yet prevented your posture from deteriorating. A note to lurking pre-surgery folks: DO NOT NEGLET YOUR PHYSIO CAUSE YOU HAVE A TWINGE IN/AT THE OPERATIVE SITE, MAKE LIKE A NIKE COMMERCIAL AND DO IT!

My hospitals physio gang were all over us, [especially the motivated accepting of the regime] post surgery. Find that hand out and get after it. Sets of 10 3 times daily is what I did.