Body weakening, possibility of ever recovering posture?

[Rather]

I have been progressively getting weaker. My posture is horrible. I have to constantly make a conscious effort to push my shoulders back and pull my chin up and back to keep my stiff, forward leaning neck in place. Even then my posture is not straight as I also tend to lean to left. On top of this, I have a sporadic symptom of intercoastal muscle spasms that is concentrated just below chest line. It causes much discomfort. It feels like my ribs are being sucked into my esophagus, diaphragm and sternum. It causes it a tight feeling like a wide strap being pulled around my upper abdomen. Does any one else experience these symptoms ond is there hope of getting back my posture through exercise, Botox or whatever? I feel like my insides are being crushed at times and my ribs aore0 hitting my hip bone! Thanks for your input.

[fnedorez70]

Rather, I have similar symptoms. My posture is very bad, I also have pain you describe . I attributed this pain to the falls I had recently I know that I broke two ribs ( I had an xray done). My gait is very bad recently and it contributes to the frequent falls I door physical therapy twice a week and it helps me a bit.

[Rather in reply to fnedorez70]

Thank you for responding. I hope you have a speedy and complete recovery! I am always afraid of falling because I cannot get up again on my own. I do go to PT twice month, but i feel like my posture is declining so PROGRESSIVELY, that I soon need a walker to lean on or poles to hold me up.

[MarionP]

The same is happening to me as I age. I am 69 now. I am weaker and my neurologist has proved it with things like grip strength and smaller muscle mass, as I have less and less need of muscles, I use them less, and from using them less they get smaller. If you want your muscles to get bigger or stop losing muscle mass with aging, you have to work them. It's as simple as that.

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It's why they say that you need to exercise and it's true. Exercise whatever you can as often as you can. For instance walking, if you are say in your 60s, you should be walking briskly150 minutes a week..take a walk, chase girls or something.That is brisk walking. That's the example for walking..

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Find things to lift and find reasons to use those muscles as part of your lifestyle. Have somebody carrying your groceries for you? Don't, carry them yourself. You get the idea. Going upstairs? Then walk up rather than riding up. Whatever movement you can do, you need to make part of your active lifestyle.

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I get the midriff spasms too, also under my arches and in my calves. As our Parkinson's gets more developed, and also with aging and with less muscle tone, that will increase but there is something I have found that works. First, I drink a lot more water and liquids. That helps and my neurologist has confirmed the idea. Second, when I have found that I exercise more as a confirmed long-term habit, my signals are a little bit greater to those muscles and they don't get out of there natural need to have contraposed signals out of balance, by which I mean flexor and extensor have to be in balance for your muscles not to spasm... the technical term is called "tetanic contraction," also "physiological tetanus." (Yes the word in the spelling is the same as the disease you take a vaccine for if you get a cut, and the actual phenomenon is the same, but we use the word " tetanus" to refer to the medical disease, and we refer to " physiological tetanus" when we mean tetanus that is not caused by an infection. So sometimes what people have when their muscles are out of they're natural a positional balance is called "physiological tetanus." You should look up both terms.

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Here, I have done it for you:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet...

The point is additional water and additional muscle tone will help make the spasms less frequent, and make them less strong when they do occur. So hydrate and try to exercise to keep your muscles from wasting through age and disuse.

[Rather in reply to MarionP]

Thank you for your most helpful and informative reply. It is true, I do need to exercise my muscles much more consistently and increase my fluid intake. I once told my physical therapist that I felt like I was losing my skeleton's ability to hold me up straight.

[00Mark]

I go to an exercise class for Parkinson's and also a taichi class designed for PD. Both of these have been helpful for my posture.You could also try an osteopath - they can sometimes achieve remarkable results.

[Rather in reply to 00Mark]

Thank you for your kind response. I will further inquire about an osteopath.

[slimweiss]

My husband was diagnosed with PD in 2019 but after a 4 year fight, he passed away from Lewy body dementia. Horrible disease. He did exercise for as long as he could and it did help. He tried boxing but his brain couldn't pick up on the clues. Maybe try that. You can do it online too through YouTube. I think it would have helped him if he truly had PD but with Lewy body the decline is rapid. He did try botox several times but not having PD I can't really say that it helped. If I had PD, I would do everything I could to slow it down. Take supplements like B1, exercise ALOT, botox, PT.

[Rather in reply to slimweiss]

Thank you for your thoughtful advice. My condolences on the loss of your beloved husband, my his soul rest in peace.

[slimweiss in reply to Rather]

Thank you. One day I'll be reunited with him glory to God!

[JayPwP]

Have you tried reversing your posture, something like 2-3 pillows under your chest and head while sleeping on your front, i,e, your back facing the ceiling? 10 minutes in this position is a good place to start. Build upto 30 mins 2-3 times per day as per your convenience.

[Rather]

'I never tried it, but thanks for the a new idea.

[Rufous2]

I've heard Nordic Walking (with poles) is very good for improving posture.