Most of us think of an orthotic as an insert used in a shoe to support the foot, usually a fallen arch. However, if we think of an orthotic as simply an external object that shapes our bodies, then we quickly see that there are orthotics everywhere: car seats, park benches, pews at church, couches, recliner chairs, beds, and airplane seats, just to name a few.
If you remember back, or look up images of old trucks, you will notice that the seats of cars used to create a 90 degree angle between your hips and back. Over the years, as people began to slouch more, and to move less, thus creating weaker postural muscles, the designers of our environment, began to make seats and chairs that matched the curved shape of our bodies, in these maladaptive postures.
If you sit in most seats, and lean with your back against the back of the seat, you will probably find that you are sitting in a position that places the majority of your weight on your lower back and sacrum, instead of on your sitz bones (bony protuberances at the base of the pelvis). The problem with this, is that the lower back and sacrum were not designed to hold all our weight while we sit, and this creates a host of back problems, pelvic floor issues. This position also reinforces poor postural stability and strength.
The worst offender is the classic couch, or a soft mattress. These items are designed to support the misalignment of the body, and to trick your body into feeling like this is a comfortable way to rest!
If you want to support the health of your body and your spine, consider placing a folded up towel under your pelvis when in your car, or sitting in a seat. This will help to elevate your hips, and places your body in a position to align your weight over those strong and stable sitz bones. Now the bones, muscles and nerves of the spine can do what they are meant to do, which is to support your body’s ability to move and respond in adaptive ways, to changes in your environment.
As for your bed, consider, sleeping on the floor once in a while, or napping on a thick yoga mat, to begin to train your body to structure itself to the alignment provided by the floor.