Back Pain, Busted Posture & Why the S-Shaped Spine Is Total BS

Okay, let’s just say it: most of us have no idea how to sit, stand, or move without hurting ourselves.

And spoiler: it’s not your fault.

In this episode of So Frickin’ Healthy, Megan gets nerdy with Esther Gokhale, posture expert and founder of the Gokhale Method, and Julie Johnson, one of her top teachers. What they dropped? 🤯

• Everything we’ve been taught about posture is basically garbage.

• Back pain is not inevitable.

• And that fancy ergonomic chair? Might be part of the problem.

So yeah, if you’ve ever had an achy low back, neck tension, or chronic pain that shows up every time you sit too long—this episode is your wake-up call.

🪑 That “S-Shaped” Spine You’re Told to Have? It’s a Lie.

Esther didn’t come to play. She brought spinal X-rays from 1911 vs. modern anatomy books—and they look wildly different. The old-school version? A nice, even J-shaped spine with the “behind behind.” The modern version? All curve and compression.

Turns out, the S-shape that got normalized over the last century (thanks, poorly designed furniture and fashion trends 🙃) is putting pressure on your discs, jamming your nerves, and setting you up for pain.

And don’t get her started on lumbar cushions. Or “chest up, chin out” advice. It’s all doing more harm than good.

🧠 How We Lost Our Posture

Esther says we’ve basically forgotten how to be in our bodies. We used to move like functional humans. Then came car seats, stroller slouching, and posture cues from literal fashion eras. The flapper trend? Totally changed how women stood and sat.

And because posture is passed down visually—not verbally—we’ve been monkey-see, monkey-do-ing bad form for decades.

😵‍💫 The Gokhale Method: How to Actually Fix It

This isn’t about forcing your shoulders back or tensing your core like a psycho. The Gokhale Method teaches you how to:

• Sit with ease (hello, stretch sitting)

• Bend without hurting yourself (hip hinge ftw)

• Stand and walk in a way that doesn’t fry your lower back

Julie, who went from back-pain misery to kettlebell badass, swears by it. And the results? Immediate. Like, no-pain-on-day-2-of-the-course kind of immediate.

Also, lengthen your spine is the first step. Not with crunches. With real rib anchoring. (They explain it way better—promise.)

🧬 Your Spine Isn’t Just Structural—It’s Emotional

This part gave me chills: when your spine is compressed, your vagus nerve gets messed up. That’s your main line from brain to gut to heart. When it’s out of whack, it triggers anxiety, depression, even poor digestion.

But when your spine is long and strong?

• You breathe deeper

• You feel more confident

• Your mood stabilizes

Esther even references animal posture—like how a dog’s tail tells you everything. We’re no different. If your body’s collapsed, your mood follows.

💡 Real Talk from Danna (Even Though I Wasn’t There)

Here’s what I would’ve shouted into the mic if I had been in this episode:
WTF. Why didn’t anyone teach us this?!

We’re over here doing “core work” that’s making us worse. Stretching wrong. Sitting wrong. Paying for fixes when the root problem is how we exist in our own body every single day... Sigh...

The Gokhale Method isn’t some crunchy wellness fad. It’s body mechanics that should be taught in kindergarten.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on [Spotify / Apple / YouTube]
🪑 Try their free stretch sitting videos, workshops, or check out the book (yes, it’s nerdy and YES it’s worth it)

🔖 Hashtags:

#BackPainRelief #GokhaleMethod #PostureMatters #SoFrickinHealthy #FixYourSpine #JSpineNotSSpine #StretchSitting #FunctionalFitness #BodyAlignment #PainFreeLiving #VagusNerve #EverydayHealth