In current times, nearly everyone has bad posture. The combination of texting on our phones, working at our desks, and sitting all day long has set us all up for posture-related issues.
However, with so much conflicting information online, it can be hard to determine what it even means to have good posture.
But there are a few postural abnormalities that are clearly detrimental to our health. These include hunching, forward head posture, and rounded shoulders.
In this article, we’ll provide 5 tips for how you can improve your posture, fix your text neck, and feel better overall.
Posture Tip #1: Use a Lumbar Roll When Sitting
One of the best ways to “cue” better posture is to use a lumbar roll when you are sitting down.
These handy tools provide tactile feedback to your back so that you don’t fall into a slumped posture as the stress of the day starts to wear on you.
Best of all, you don’t even need to spend a cent to obtain a quality lumbar roll. By simply folding up a pillow and placing it behind your low back while you sit, you can make your own!
Posture Tip #2: Exercise Regularly
You’ve undoubtedly heard it before, but it bears repeating: exercise is medicine.
By simply getting up and moving for about 30 minutes to an hour every day, you can do wonders for your health.
When it comes to improving posture, walking and cardio exercise can definitely help, but stretching and strengthening exercise should receive the majority of your focus.
If you’re looking to correct postural deformities through exercise, you can start by performing some basic exercises, such as the following:
- Bent-over, bench-supported dumbbell rows.
- Lat pulldowns.
- Doorway pec stretch.
- Upward dog yoga pose.
For the strengthening exercises, aim to select a weight where you get tired after performing 10-12 reps per set. Complete 3 sets per session for 2-3 sessions per week.
As far as the flexibility exercises are concerned, you should try to do them every day, holding each stretch for 30 seconds and repeating 4 times per session. If you’re unfamiliar with any of the above exercises, consult with a qualified exercise professional!
Posture Tip #3: Try a Standing Desk
Standing desks have become very popular in recent times. With many people working from home and looking for solutions to their posture-related problems, standing desks have been touted as the perfect option.
While standing desks aren’t a great option for everyone, they are a great way for office workers to stay more upright throughout the day. Perhaps the best option is a transition or “hybrid” desk, which allows workers to sit or stand during the day. This might be the best of both worlds!
Posture Tip #4: Take Breaks During the Day
One of the most intuitive and effective tips for improving posture is to simply take rest breaks from sitting and working during the day.
While it may not always be feasible for you based on your line of work, you should aim to take at least a 5-minute rest break every hour, where you stand up, stretch out, and move around. Even this minuscule break can do wonders for your posture.
Posture Tip #5: See Your Plano Chiropractor
At Keystone Chiropractic, we help the Plano community recover from posture-related issues every day. When we manipulate the spine, we can simultaneously relieve your pain and improve your posture. We are experts in dealing with the spine, and we would love to work with you!
Book your first appointment today!
