Written by our Human Movement Specialists
Do you have good posture?
Just by reading that question, you probably sat up a little straighter in your chair and pulled your shoulders back. Posture is not something we should consciously have to maintain, our muscles do it for us, however, relearning how to correct our posture starts with conscious effort. When we form bad habits that chronically force us out of “good posture,” our muscles learn a new baseline.
What causes bad posture?
From the days of sitting at a desk as a student hunched over school notes to life in the workforce sitting at a computer or in a car all day, we have been training our postural muscles to tighten or lengthen in the wrong areas. When we sit in a rounded upper back position, our chest muscles become chronically tight and our back muscles become stretched out and often times weak.
If you notice you have neck, back, or shoulder pain that gets progressively worse towards the end of each day, it’s probably time to start addressing your posture. Good posture reduces the amount of work our muscles have to do and when they are allowed to work more efficiently, they don’t get painfully tight as easily and allow us to live and move pain-free.
Improving Posture
The following are some tips to get you moving towards a better posture!
First, learn what “good posture” is; sit up tall and push your shoulders back and down. Consciously put yourself into that position whenever you can.
Second, stretch or roll out your chest muscles. You can use a lacrosse ball, a thin foam roller, or your fingers to massage and stretch out those chronically tightened muscles.
Third, strengthen your back muscles. Add lots of rows and other pulling exercises, either with resistance bands or weights, to your daily exercise routine. Try and squeeze your shoulder blades together with each repetition.
Finally, remember that it took your muscles years to learn “bad posture,” don’t expect it to get better overnight. Consistency and patience will be the keys to success.
How we help?
Discuss you back pain with one of our Human Movement Specialists, they are available to show you some wellness products like the Posture Medic to help you improve your posture.
Our Human Movement Specialists can show you some strengthening and stretching exercises you can do during the day.
Improve your ergonomics in your work space, our Evolution Chair can help you improve posture while at your desk.
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