my new bike / spine curvature

[gusl]

Yesterday I bought a nice hybrid unisex bike at Biketek, along with a U-lock+cable (a combination I had never seen). I paid $350 for bike + $40 for lock + tax + repairing the flat on Giancarlo's bike (now I can return it).

Since my legs are disproportionally short wrt my body, my arms were too close to the handlebar. They got me a longer handlebar stem, which gave my arms an extra inch, but it's not quite enough. When I ride it, my back is almost straight. Some solutions:
* get used to it: it might be better posture anyway
* slide my seat further back
* sit further in the back of the seat
* turn the stem
* turn the handlebar
* get an even longer stem

I remember someone (I forget who) telling me that the curvature of our spine is due to the pressure caused by our standing on two legs, and the closer to straight your back is, the better. In particular, they said that hard mattresses / floors are good because they tend to make your back straight. To support his/her argument, this person told me that babies' backs are straight. This sounds suspicious to me. What do you think?

Comments

[ekorber.livejournal.com]

I just looked it up and we are born with a C-curved spine, and the 2 additional curves (cervical and lumbar) develop as we start raising our heads (cervical) and standing/walking (lumbar). The outward curve of the upper back is part of the C shape that we're born with.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

were you the person who was telling me this?

will you share your sources?

[etesla.livejournal.com]

Hard mattresses and floors are -not- optimal sleeping surfaces. An optimal sleeping surface is one which supports all parts of your body more or less equally. A sleeping surface which is flat and hard does not do this - it leaves gaps (i.e., low-pressure zones) under your knees, lower back, and neck, and places a ton of pressure on hips, shoulders, ribs, and your head. (Depending on whether you sleep on your side or your back, of course).

On the other hand, a really soft bed (of the inner-spring sort) offers no support, because the coils are all connected - usually at the top - and thus their level of conformity to your body shape is very limited. What winds up happening is you get a 'bowl' shape - all curve, no support in the middle.

A hard bed molded to your exact body shape sounds optimal, then, but it's not. Our bodies regulate pressure and temperature while we sleep by telling us to shift positions, so the bed should be responsive to position shifts, too.

The best sleeping surface is therefore one that can provide consistent pressure throughout your body's surface, allows for movement, and supports all parts of your body. The NASA 'memory-foam' beds are pretty good, but I'd endorse Sleep Number beds - I have one myself, and it's been very good to be for the 5+ years I've owned it.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about the memory-foam mattresses. Are there any down-sides to your back's health?

Have you personally tried memory-foam mattresses? How are the Sleep Number beds better?