Strong Posture: The Beginning of Strong Form

By: Dr. Steve Weiniger

An athlete’s posture can make the difference between winning and a play-ending injury. Whatever the sport, strong form is essential to performing well and preventing injuries, and form begins with how the athlete stands. Not how they believe themselves to be standing, but mechanically speaking, how well is their body stacking up?

From a pitch to a swing, control of body motion is the key in sports performance. When an athlete’s perception of their resting stance is off, every other motion will subtly compensate. 

The body moves in a chain of motion, with power moving from the feet throughout the pelvis and spine to the torso and arm. When motion compensates, energy is lost or, if the chain is unable to carry the load, it buckles in an injury. A slight head or pelvic rotation can make the difference between being strength and injury. 

Build posture into your workout by starting every game and practice standing tall, setting a strong postural baseline. Focusing on standing tall helps you maximize the benefit of your workout. Also, periodically take a picture to benchmark your posture. Coaches may want to consider having a doctor of chiropractic specializing in posture do a team posture screening.

 

Source: Athletic TIPS under a grant provided by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education