It's easier than ever to find yourself slouched over a phone or slumped over a laptop for hours at a time in today's modern world.
Being locked on a screen for long periods, especially when you're not positioned correctly, will take its toll on your muscles, joints, and ligaments.
When your body gets used to being hunched over for hours, it can be easy to continue that same posture, even when you're not in front of a screen.
Here's how poor posture causes back pain.
However, having correct posture is a natural way to help maintain the health of your mind and body.
Practicing good posture will help your body stay aligned and help alleviate common problems such as neck pain or low back pain.
If you're looking to kick your slouching habit, some simple exercises and strategies can help.
We'll look at a few of them in the article below.
Table of Contents
- The Benefits of Proper Posture
- Straighten Up
- Sit Right
- Text Neck Is A Real Thing
- Keep Moving
- Sleep Right
- See A Chiropractor
The Benefits Of Proper Posture
First, let's start with the reasons why we need to pay attention to our posture.
Posture is the way your body is positioned when you're standing, sitting, or lying down.
When you use correct posture, you are putting the least amount of strain on your muscles and joints.
Slouching, slumping, and other types of poor posture can cause muscle tension, as well as back pain, joint pain, and reduced circulation.
Poor posture can even lead to breathing issues and fatigue.
The benefits of good posture include:
- Improved balance
- Less back pain
- Lower risk of injury
- Less fatigue
- Fewer headaches
- Improved breathing
- Better circulation
The first step to not slouching is to be mindful of your posture.
We often get so caught up in what we're doing that we forget to check our posture, and lousy posture becomes normal.
Check on your posture throughout the day and notice how you're standing, sitting, or walking.
Make corrections whenever you find yourself slouching or hunching your back or shoulders, or pushing your head or neck forward to look at a screen.
Straighten Up
One of the easiest ways to prevent posture problems is to stand up tall.
You'll not only feel better, but you'll look better as well, maybe even slimmer.
To be sure you're standing as tall as possible, pretend you're standing against a wall to measure your height.
Hold your head straight and tuck in your chin. Your ears should be over the middle of your shoulders. Stand with your shoulders back, knees straight, and belly tucked in.
Make sure you don't let your bottom or hips stick out, and straighten up so you feel like your head stretches toward the sky.
Sit Right
When seated, you should keep a few things in mind to ensure you're using good posture.
First, sit up straight with your shoulders relaxed, but not hunched or rounded. Be sure you choose a chair with a height that allows you to keep your feet firmly planted on the floor. Avoid crossing your legs.
Keep your knees level or slightly higher than your hips and sit back in your chair so the chair back supports your spine.
Always pay attention to your head position, and don't let your head and chin sit forward of your shoulders.
Keep your ears aligned over your shoulders, and make sure to keep your computer screen at eye level to prevent your neck from bending forward or backward.
You can also place a small, rolled-up towel or lumbar cushion behind your mid-back to protect your spine's natural curve.
Text Neck Is A Real Thing
Are you on your smartphone all day long?
If you're like most of us who spend a lot of time on your smartphone, be sure to take a minute to stretch your neck.
When you tilt your head down to check messages, read emails, or watch videos, it strains your spine.
Over a day, a week, a month, or a year, that can add up and have you running to your chiropractor.
For a better view, do your best to lift the phone and move your eyes, not your head.
Keep Moving
You should never stay in the same position for too long
Holding one position for a long time can cause muscle tension, discomfort, and fatigue.
The effects become more severe if you're in a slouched position or you have poor overall posture.
To prevent muscle pain and fatigue, make a point to get up, stretch, and walk around for at least a few minutes every hour.
If it helps, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and move.
It may also help if you can do a different task that requires you to use different muscles to the ones you're using while seated or standing.
Sleep Right
When you're finally able to lay your head down at night, make sure you do it the right way.
Skip the soft, saggy mattress. Instead, choose a firm mattress that helps hold your spine's natural shape.
If you prefer to sleep on your side, bend your knees slightly but don't hug them, and place a pillow under your head, so it's level with your spine.
If you like to sleep on your back, which is the best way to sleep, you should ditch the thick pillow and opt for a small one under your neck.
See A Chiropractor
Sometimes people have had poor posture for so long they need a chiropractor to help them get back to normal.
Advanced Injury Care Clinic works with chiropractors and Medical Doctors that can evaluate your spine to see how your spine has been affected by your bad posture.
During your first visit with them, their chiropractors will conduct a thorough examination to diagnose the particular cause of your low back pain.
Once they've done that, they will develop a treatment plan that will help rid you of your pain and offer advice on how to keep it from coming back again.
For your free consultation with Advanced Injury Care Clinic, click the button below.
