8 Tips to Improve Posture
Posture is how you hold your body. It refers to standing, sitting, and lying down. Having good posture means minimizing strain. To improve your posture, it involves training your body to stand, walk, and sit a certain way. There is to be minimal stress on muscles and ligaments.
Maintaining good posture helps improve posture, such as:
- Proper bone alignment so muscles are used properly
- Prevents fatigue because muscles are used properly
- Decreases strain on the ligaments in the spine
- Prevents the spine from getting fixed in abnormal positions
- Reduces wear and tear on joints
- Prevents backaches
How to Improve Posture
There are tips you can use to maintain good posture, such as:
1. Don’t slouch:
Slouching adds stress to your spine. It strains the muscles and bones that hold your spine in place. Additionally, slouching smashes your organs together. This makes it hard for your lungs and intestines to work. And over time you can develop difficulties breathing.
2. Straighten up:
Standing up tall is a great way to correct posture. You feel better, look better, and also look slimmer! Hold your head straight and tuck in your chin. Pretend you are against a wall measuring your height. Your ears need to be in the middle of your shoulders. Then put shoulders back, tuck your belly in and keep knees straight. Be careful not to let your hips stick out though. Stand straight with your head stretched to the sky.
3. Beware of “text neck”:
Everyone uses smartphones these days. It is way to easy to keep your head down. Remember to give your neck a break. Tilting your head to check your phone strains your neck. Your head is heavy and this stresses the spine. Over time, it will distort your posture and cause pain. Lift your phone instead and move your eyes, not your head.
4. No low-riding:
Reclining is comfortable during a long drive. But, this is not good for your spine. Pull the seat close to the steering wheel. Try not to lock your legs. Keep your knees slightly bent at hip-level. Use a pillow or rolled towel to support your back.
5. Save the heels:
High heeled shoes are fashionable, but save them. Save them for a special occasion. Heels are a no-no for posture health. They thrust your spine forward, which over-arches your back. This alters your backbone alignment. When pressure is added to nerves, chronic back pain can develop. The higher the heels, the worse this is. More weight gets placed on your knees and pain also intensifies in your back.
6. Sleep well:
Sleeping also can affect your posture. Choose a firm mattress that holds your spine’s natural shape. If you sleep on your side though, keep your knees slightly bent. Keep a pillow under your head. Your head should stay level with your spine. However, if you sleep on your back, use a small pillow. Thicker pillows will keep your neck at a bad angle.
7. Exercise:
Excess weight adds stress to the back. Stronger muscles are needed to support your spine. Design a workout plan to strengthen your core. Low-impact exercises and abdominal toning will keep you in shape. Stronger ab muscles will also hold a better posture.
Be careful not to hurt your back when strengthening your core. Here are some core strengthening exercises to avoid with back pain.
8. Check for problems:
You may not be aware that you slouch. Luckily, there is an easy way to check. Place the back of your head against a wall. Then move your feet 6 inches from the baseboard. Make sure your bottom is touching the wall. Your lower back and neck will be 2 inches from the wall. You can also talk to your doctor about ways to improve posture.