Supported by your skeleton and the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, your posture is how you hold your body when you stand, sit, and lie down. When properly aligned, the body functions in harmony, without stress or increased wear and tear. Unfortunately, modern lifestyles and bad habits often lead to poor posture.
Slumped shoulders and curved backs are clear indicators of poor posture. These symptoms worsen as you age—so the sooner you get your posture in check, the better! Poor posture not only changes how you look, but it also affects your health.
When your spine isn’t ideally aligned, you can experience back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, and headaches. Poor posture can even hamper digestion, affect your mood and increase your risk of injury. The good news is that in almost all cases, poor posture is reversible. In fact, you can correct your posture with just a few simple lifestyle changes. So, let’s take a closer look!
How to Improve Your Posture
The ideal posture is when your spine is in a neutral position. Imagine being held up by a string fixed to the top of your skull. Try it now. Did you notice how you raised your chin, straightened your spine, and dropped your shoulders?
Here’s how to make that ideal posture, your every day, all day posture.
Tip #1: Be Aware
Simply being mindful of your posture can be enough to break the bad habit of slouching and help you to stand tall. Learning about your posture will immediately grow your awareness of your spine and remind you to self-correct. And self-correction is an effective remedy for poor posture in many cases.
Quick Tip: If you’re prone to poor posture and work at a desk, try setting a reminder on your phone or laptop every hour or two to remind you to sit up tall! It can also be beneficial to move every hour or two to give your body a break.
Tip #2: Move Your Body
Poor posture can result from weakened muscles in your core (abdominals) and your back itself.
Exercise, stretches, and strength training together increase the strength of your muscles so they can support the weight of your body.
Bonus: Unexplained chronic lower back pain, which often coincides with poor posture, is often alleviated by simply strengthening the core muscles.
Tip #3: Sleep Well
Did you know can take care of your spine while you’re fast asleep? Improve your posture and say goodbye to those early morning aches and pains by investing in a good mattress and a decent pillow.
Remember. However you lie, your spine must remain neutral. Avoid major neck kinks that either force your chin into your chest or your neck towards one of your shoulders. Falling asleep in front of the TV is not recommended.
Tip #4: Work Well
Your posture while you sit and work is so important, they’ve even developed technology that can remind you to sit up straight—just like your parents did when you were a kid!
Poor posture while you sit at your desk can cause back pain, tension in your neck, headaches and, well, poor posture! So, create an ergonomic workspace that supports your body—furniture heights, screen heights, and your keyboard are key players here.
During your working day, include standing, stretches, and periods of activity, and avoid cradling your phone between your shoulder and neck!
Tip #5: Manage Your Screentime
The average American spends over THREE hours looking at their phone every day—you might be doing it right now. The typical posture during this time is chin tucked in and slumped shoulders. Try to be aware of your screen time usage, and limit it where possible. Also, be mindful of your posture during and after you’ve checked your device.
Tip #6: Address the Root Cause
There are some reasons for poor posture that you can’t self-correct. Old injuries, pregnancy, genetics, severe tension, and muscle weakness are just a few. If this describes you, don’t be discouraged. Through massage therapy, spinal adjustments, targeted exercises, and stretches, your chiropractor can help you on your way to standing (and sitting!) tall, proud, and strong.
The Benefits of Good Posture
Correct posture not only alleviates back and shoulder pain, but it makes you look (and feel) younger too! It leads to better balance which reduces the risk of injury. It also improves digestion, the quality of your sleep, your breathing—and the condition of your nervous system as a whole.
Find out more about how chiropractic care can help you regain a great posture—and boost your confidence! Contact Integrated Health & injury, serving Atlanta and Decatur, Georgia, to schedule an appointment.
Use our contact form, or dial one of these numbers:
Decatur – 404-288-9000
Atlanta – 404-691-4822