Find Your Neutral Spine

“Maintain a neutral spine.” What exactly does that mean?

Neutral spine or neutral posture has been mentioned in gyms, Pilates and martial arts studios and other fitness facilities everywhere because it is a key component of both functional exercise and effective core training. The muscles of the core (lower back, abdominals and hip complex) are closely connected with the postural muscles and body alignment. Since neutral posture is such an important element of core training, we will take a closer look at what it is and why it is so important.

In neutral posture, the body is able to function in its strongest and most balanced position. Stress to the joints, muscles, vertebrae and tissue is minimized. Maintaining neutral posture will help decrease the risk of injury and increase the efficiency of movement or exercise. Working in neutral posture is also a component in a more holistic approach to movement and exercise where the body is viewed as an integrated whole unit, rather than isolated individual parts. When people have difficulty achieving or working in neutral posture, it is often an indication of muscular imbalance. Muscular or postural imbalances are a concern because they can lead to injury and chronic anatomical problems or they can limit performance. Working out of neutral alignment may inhibit the recruitment of certain muscles and which can make the movements more difficult. Most people feel that their exercise programs are challenging enough and they don’t want to make them any harder! Take a look at how you can find your neutral spine and use it to make your fitness program effective and balanced.

Finding Your Neutral Spine. The most challenging part of achieving a neutral spine is feeling a neutral position of the pelvis. Before attempting to align the entire body in a standing position, begin by identifying neutral pelvic alignment lying down on your back on the floor.

Bend your knees so that your feet are hip distance apart and about 6-10 inches away from the back of the legs. Your feet should be flat on the floor. In this position, the lower region of the back will not be pressed down onto the floor. You will be preserving the natural curve of the lower spine.

Place the heels of your hands on the two bones on the front/top of the pelvis. Place your index fingers on the top of your pubic bone. You will be making a triangle with the bones you can feel on the front of the pelvis. For most people, this triangle will be in a horizontal plane when the lower spine is in neutral.

Visualize a bucket of water balanced inside the triangle. Using the muscles of the abdomen, (it is important that it is NOT the legs) press the lower back down towards the floor. This is a posterior tilt of the pelvis and the “bucket of water” would spill onto your chest.

Release the pelvis back to neutral, then over-arch the low back in the opposite direction. This is an anterior tilt of the pelvis and the “bucket of water” would spill out between your legs.

Work through this range of motion several times trying to initiate the movement in the abdominal muscle while leaving the legs and feet relaxed. After several repetitions, allow your pelvis to come back to neutral (a midway position somewhere between the over exaggerated posterior and anterior tilts). The amount of space between your lower back and the floor will vary according to the natural curve of your spine.

Taking Your Neutral Spine Upright. Take this new awareness of neutral lumbar spine with you into a standing position where you can now align the rest of the body.

Place your feet hip width apart. This is a little closer together than shoulder distance apart, which is a common fitness position.

Beginning with flexed or bent knees, straighten up into a full standing position. Your knees should remain softened, not locked. Think about pulling up through the mid-line of the body.

Focus on finding the neutral position of the pelvis that we identified in the position of lying on the floor. You may need to work through the posterior/anterior positions a couple of times before settling in a neutral position. In order to maintain this position, you must activate the deep muscles of the abdomen (the transverse abdominus or TVA muscles) and continue pulling up through your center.

Relax your shoulders down and roll them back. Retract and depress your shoulder blades. Think about bringing your shoulder blades in towards your spine and sliding them down towards the floor.

Bring your head into alignment by centering your ears over your shoulders. You might need to extend your chin forward and back to find the centered position. Your nose should be opposite to the very tip of your spine where it connects with the head.

Review the natural position of the spine. Feel the feet centering the weight of the body and solidly supporting you on the floor. You should feel ready to move in any direction.

Your neutral posture requires diligent work to maintain! Even though this position is the natural alignment of the body, most people have developed habits and imbalances that make the proper neutral posture feel unnatural. In working with several people, I have been told what they perceive as “neutral” is often an “over-exaggerated posture”, either a posterior or anterior tilt of the pelvis. It is essential to strengthen the muscles of the core in proper alignment to help stabilize the spine. Establishing neutral posture is the first step in achieving this. Become increasingly aware of neutral posture in your daily activities and fitness routines. Remember all those times you were told to stand up straight? Those words ring true and right! All these years you probably never knew you were getting excellent fitness advice.

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For additional information regarding your health, sports, fitness needs, contact Michelle at michelle@pbpfitness.com