Good Posture IS BAD?
 

My physical therapist just told me that all my trying to improve posture may be a bad thing. She said that if everything is tight together, pushing yourself up and back may actually cause your rib to just push further in to your thoracic outlet, without physical therapy.

I don't think good posture is bad, but many of the exercises and stretches that many PTs have you do to improve posture can be bad for TOS. Many PTs just aren't educated enough about TOS to know better. Trust your body and refuse to do anything you feel is flaring up your TOS.

My PT just told me when I stick out my chest I think that I am having good posture but am actually elevating the ribs. Try going into a more neutral/relaxed position and keep your shoulders down while typing etc. I found this list and there are PT's in MN on it.

http://www.instituteofphysicalart.com/ipa/referral/list

thank you for the MN list. please, tell me, what kind of list is this? (meaning, is this a list of people that know about TOS or follow a certain philosophy, or what exactly is the list about). or, is it just a list of physical therapists? thank you!

Its just a list of PTs that have a certian kind of training. You will have to look at the website. It is where my PT trained and teaches, and a couple of people he reccommended are on it. Not Necessarlily familar with TOS. You would have to look them up individually. Just somewhere to start for people who are looking for PT's in addition to the list that are already on here.

your pt sounds strange

maybe he means your version of good posture is bad

being in neutral is a good thing, good posture is neutral

the traditional exercises for good posture in pt are awful in my opinion.

in my opinion, no one knows anything about anything.

it is as if every sentence that everyone in the medical field says about TOS must include a truth, a half truth, and a lie, in order for it to be said.

ugh.

I'm not sure why our PT sounds strange (Dr. Ando). I've been through multiple therapists and he is the best when it comes to TOS.

Yes, he means our version of good posture can be bad. I'm still working on keeping my chest/rib cage down. They have shown me why a lot of the traditional posture exercises are bad (corner wall stretch for example) and most of it has to do with elevating the ribs.

No one knows everything about everything. However, there are knowledgeable practitioners out there even if it takes time and effort to find them.

GOOD TO KNOW. i have done that corner wall stretch and it made me worse! now i know why!

uncovering all this stuff is hard. so many layers!

MARC, you are an inspiration. sorry when i am negative.