Whether you are reading this on a computer or your phone, chances are you are not practicing proper posture. Good posture is simply the position and alignment that allows the body to perform at its best and our posture, good or bad, is a direct result of our lifestyle. Our bodies mold to the positions we are in most frequently and with more of us working from home this year, these positions have surely changed.
Think of improper posture like driving your car out of alignment. You are not aware of it at the time, but you aren’t getting the same mileage and your tires will wear out sooner. When treating neck and back pain in our office, there is always a postural component – sometimes it is the direct cause of symptoms, and other times it can be improved upon to help prevent pain down the road. But if what they say is true, that good posture is 50% discipline, we have found just the tools to make it one less thing to think about.
Combat It!
Poor posture will cause certain muscle groups to become shorter and tighter, most commonly the pectoral muscles and the hip flexors. Here are two easy stretches to perform daily that will combat the long hours you spend at your desk.
To stretch your pectoral muscles lay length-wise on a foam roller keeping your tailbone and head supported. Allow your arms to fall back and chest to open. Hold for 2 minutes, repeat 1-2x/day.
To open the hips and stretch the flexor muscles area, lie on the edge of your bed and allow your outer leg to hang off while keeping the inner knee bent. Slowly bring the bent knee towards your chest and hold it for 30 seconds. You should feel a nice stretch in the hip flexor of the leg hanging off the bed. Repeat this process on the other side, repeat 1-2x/day.
Prevent it!
Good posture is mostly self-regulation, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need some help along the way. We recommend these products to any patient who is looking to prevent poor posture without disrupting their active lifestyle.
Intelliskin – Intelliskin is revolutionary in the line of posture apparel. Their shirts, bras, and leggings are designed to work with your body by “cueing its natural ability to support itself in proper alignment”. Intelliskin builds upon Kinesio Taping methods by contouring to your body to provide support and stability while still allowing you to move through your daily activities. Click here to start preventing poor posture today!
Lumolift – For those who are looking to strengthen their self-discipline, consider Lumolift. Combining motion science and technology, this wearable posture tracker uses gentle vibrational reminders to make sure you are always practicing good posture. The best part is that you can track your progress as well as your activity level through their app.