đ€© Simple movements to help You with Good Posture đ€©
From pain levels to self-confidence, our posture impacts more than we think.
Putting in the effort to improve your posture has HUGE payoffs.
But what is good posture really?
Good posture is also known as neutral spine. When we have good posture, the muscles surrounding the spine are balanced and supporting the body equally.
So today Iâd like to focus in on the significant benefits of good posture, along with tips to achieve them... đ€©
Youâll be amazed by how effectively a few simple posture exercises can enhance your public relations and longterm health!
Before we get started, if you missed last weekâs blog onâHow to sit and (not sit) at your computer?â, you can use this link, Here.
Okay, ready for better posture?
đ€© â đ€©
Along with your regular chiropractic visits, use these simple exercises to alleviate tension in your shoulders, neck, hips, buttocks and back. Once youâve tried all of them, you will notice which ones offer your body the most relief. Stick with them, and watch yourself get stronger and your posture improve!
DO BRIDGES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR LOWER BACK
Sitting or standing in a slouched position for prolonged periods of time stresses your lower back. More specifically, it puts pressure on the posterior structures of the spine, including the intervertebral discs, facet points, ligaments, and muscles.
Bridges strengthen and engage your gluteal and abdominal muscles, so your body relies on them instead of stressing your lower back.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, instructs Strang. Tighten your core without changing your back position. Lift your hips and lower torso off of the ground by contracting your gluteus maximus muscles. Slowly lower your hips back down.
Posture tip: Move around frequently (every 20-30 minutes is recommended). No one is able to sit with perfect posture all of the time; it takes a lot of strength to do so. When you feel your muscles tiring, or yourself slowly slouching, get up and move around.
What to look for: Donât anticipate a decrease in lower back pain on your first day. Posture is something that you should expect to work at your whole life.
By stretching your chest, and strengthening your core and upper back muscles, youâll see gradual but noticeable pain reduction.
STRETCH YOUR NECK FOR FEWER HEADACHES AND STIFF MUSCLES
This head retraction exercise strengthens the neck muscles that are often weak and stretched out.
Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Pull your chin back toward the floor like youâre trying to make a double chin. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat 10 times.
Posture tip: Check in with your body often. Awareness is essential to good posture. We get busy working at our computers or eating a good meal, and we compress into poor posture. Post a note on your computer screen to remind you to get yourself in proper alignment.
What to look for: Headache prevention will differ from person to person. If youâre not experiencing the progress you want, incorporate more core exercises and pectoral stretches into your routine.
TWIST YOUR TORSO TO ACTIVATE YOUR SIDE ABS
Strengthen your obliques so the right muscles are activated when youâre sitting or standing by incororating more core exercises and pectoral stretches into your routine.
Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent. Lift your feet off of the floor about 6 inches. Tighten your core as you rotate your upper body and elbows from side to side.
Posture tip: To keep your energy levels high, remember itâs okay to relax from time to time. Give your postural muscles a break once in a while. They can get overworked and cause pain as well.
What to look for: Noticing a spike in your energy levels is variable. It depends on how poor your posture is, how strong you are, and how aware you remain of your posture.
You should notice improvement within a week, but if you want to make it habit, it may take a month for good posture to become natural.
STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE AND LOWER BACK WITH THIS HIP FLEXOR STRETCH
Crooked sitting and standing, such as resting on one leg or side of your body, leads to hip strain. Your joints wear down naturally over time. If your posture is even, not many problems arise. But if youâre uneven, more pain and issues tend to occur.
This exercise strengthens your core and lower back at the same time while stretching your hip flexors.
Start in a lunge position with one knee on the floor and your leg extended backward. The other leg should be at a 90-degree angle in front of you with your foot planted on the floor. Engage your core by tightening your glutes (butt muscles), this will pull your stomach in and your pelvis forward and up.
Posture tip: When sitting, utilize a lumbar roll or rolled towel to support your natural lumbar curve. That way, youâll have support for a straighter posture, allowing it to be more sustainable.
What to look for: The longer you work at strengthening your core and straightening your posture, the more natural and less challenging it will be.
PUSH OUT THE PECS TO INCREASE LUNG CAPACITY
If youâre slouching, youâre compressing your lungs. If youâre sitting and standing taller, your lungs have more space to expand. In other words, good posture improves your breathing.
Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Interlock your hands behind your back (or hold a towel behind your back). Hold for 20 seconds to stretch your chest and pectoral muscles.
As an alternative, place your forearms along a door frame at shoulder height. With one foot in front of the other, begin to shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Posture tip: In a sitting position, rock your pelvis back and forth to determine how much available motion you have in your spine. Your ideal spinal posture will be in the middle of those ranges.
Another easy trick is to make sure most of the pressure is on your âsit bonesâ not your tailbone or the back of your thighs.
What to look for: If weâre sitting slouched, itâs difficult for our diaphragm to fully contract and our lungs to fully expand. For faster improvement, lengthen your seated position and open your lungs with three deep breaths several times a day.
ROLL OUT YOUR SPINE WITH A FOAM ROLL TO IMPROVE CIRCULATION AND DIGESTION
If youâre compressing vital organs, your circulation is poor, and those organs arenât going to work as well. Healthy blood flow requires proper alignment and avoiding positions which cramp circulation, like crossing your legs.
Lie on your back on the ground and place a firm foam roller in a horizontal position underneath you at the bottom of your rib cage. Support your neck with your arms.
Slowly extend your spine over the roller. Hold for 5 seconds and take a deep breath. Slowly move up 1 to 2 inches at a time.
I suggest performing this exercise daily.
Posture tip: When sitting, scoot your hips all the way back into the chair. Your feet must be on the ground to improve support. You may use a lumbar roll along your low back to assist with maintaining this posture. Shoulders should be back and your neck muscles relaxed.
LOOSEN YOUR JAW AND RELIEVE TMJ
When we have a forward head position, our mandibular joint and jaw muscles experience stress and tension. This can contribute to pain with eating, talking, yawning, as well as clicking with opening, and headaches.
With your head and neck in a neutral position and your eyes looking forward, turn your head slowly from one side to the other to stretch your neck muscles.
Posture tip: Adjust the ergonomics at work and home to support a better posture. Find a more supportive chair, use a sit-to-stand desk, and purchase a lumbar roll that you can take wherever you go.
What to look for: Releasing the tension in your neck and upper shoulders should reduce the effects of TMJ pain. Focus on relaxing your jaw throughout the day, especially in high-stress situations like driving during rush hour or focusing on a difficult work project.
IMPROVE CORE AND SCAPULAR STRENGTH WITH OVERHEAD ARM RAISE
Muscular effort is required to maintain good posture. If youâre holding a good posture, your core and upper back muscles will remain active and engaged.
Stand or sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground with even weight on both hips. Engage your core by slightly tucking in and flattening your lower back. Let your arms fall to your sides comfortably. Raise them both up at the same time over your head and bring them back to the starting position.
Posture tip: In a standing posture, keep your shoulders back and aligned. Engage your abdominals and keep a tiny knee bend so youâre not hyperextending or locking your knee joints.
Over time, your core strength will improve â helping to support the rest of your body.
What to look for: Your core will continue to strengthen every day if you engage it while you sit and stand properly.
INCREASE YOUR CONFIDENCE WITH THE SHOULDER PULL BACK
Not only can good posture boost your energy levels and reduce your pain, it can also increase your self-esteem. One 2009 study says good posture gives you more confidence in your own thoughts. Read more, HERE.
Sit or stand with a neutral spine. Shift your shoulder blades to the back. Lift both forearms to a 90-degree angle at your sides. Pull your shoulder blades closer together, as if youâre squeezing them, while your arms naturally extend backward. Complete three sets of 12 reps.
Posture tip: Before a meeting, presentation, or job interview, make sure your shoulders are relaxed, your spine is in alignment, and your ears are resting over your shoulders.
What to look for: Feeling more confident in yourself can start from day one. Simply pay attention to your posture as you enter a room, sit down to a meal, or work on a project at your computer.
THE BOTTOM LINE
âFortunately, good posture - like poor posture - is habit forming.â
âChiropractic sessions keep the body aligned. Standing or sitting for hours can impact posture, and that can throw the rest of the body out of whack.â
From our pain levels to our self-confidence, our posture impacts more than we think. Putting in the effort to improve your posture has huge payoffs đ€©
The amount of time you sit is only one factor to consider; your posture, the way you stretch AND how often you visit the chiropractor can have a major effect on your health.
Good posture is also known as neutral spine. When we have good posture, the muscles surrounding the spine are balanced and supporting the body equally.
When sitting, your feet should rest flat on the floor, with even weight on both hips. Your back should be mostly straight (youâll have natural curves in your lumbar, thoracic, and cervical areas). Your shoulders should be back but relaxed and your ears should line up over your collarbones.
When standing, your legs should have a slight knee bend so youâre not hyperextending or locking your knee joints.
I hope todayâs simple (yet effective) exercises will help you stay limbered up and out of pain during the day while standing or sitting at your desk. And, the key benefits along with tips to achieve them are helpful. You may not need them all, but after you try them, youâll recognize the ones that help you the most.
Feel free to print out this newsletter and keep it close to your work area. If you need a video to clarify any of these exercises, you may access them, HERE.
Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, or current fitness level. The scientific evidence continues to build - physical activity is linked with even more positive health outcomes than we previously thought. Benefits can start accumulating with even small amounts of physical activity đ€©
Youâll be amazed by how effectively a few simple changes to your posture, sitting habits, and work habits can enhance your health!
Studies find that even a modest increase in steps taken is tied to significantly lower mortality. Stepping and stretching more each day (even a little more) is extremely helpful in promoting your health đ€©
Get your posture in-line, keep your chiropractic appointments, and if you havenât startedâŠ. get moving !
Make an appointment and come talk with us if you are having doubts or questions about your familyâs health. We will give you the honest truth, and the clinical research that supports it.
To make an appointment with me use this link: HERE.
Or, you can always give me a call at (973) 210-3838
I want to hear from you! Do you have good posture? Did you find this newsletter helpful?
Share your thoughts in the comments on our
We bring tools such as these to you, our patients, by using proven cutting-edge therapies to extend the health-span, life-span and years of health for everyone (no matter their age)!
* * * * * *