Good posture makes everyone look great. But it’s not just about looking good – it’s about being healthy. Over time, poor posture can lead to chronic neck and back pain and cause stress to ligaments and muscles throughout our body. Good posture prevents a decrease in flexibility, neck injuries, wear on the spine, and misalignment of the musculoskeletal system. The tips and products listed below will help you keep or correct your posture!
Assume the Correct Position
Many jobs require that we sit at a desk to work for hours on end. Sitting for long periods isn’t great for your body, but sitting for long periods with bad posture is even worse! Be sure to sit with your back straight, keeping your shoulders back (not hunched forward) and your butt touching the back of the chair. Distribute your body weight evenly on both hips with your knees bent at a right angle. When possible, keep your knees slightly higher than your hips using a stool or footrest. Try to reposition yourself every 30 minutes. It’s also smart to invest in an ergonomic office chair or a standing desk, which makes it easier for you to maintain good posture while you work.
Exercise
Many exercises and yoga poses can help improve posture; repetition and consistency are crucial to reap their full benefits.
- Downward-facing dog is a forward-bending movement that is used as a resting pose. It also strengthens and aligns back muscles.
- Child’s pose is another resting pose. It releases the tension in the lower back and neck while stretching and lengthening the spine, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Cat-cow or standing cat-cow will help loosen up the tightness in your back, hips, and glutes.
- Thoracic spine rotation allows you to increase stability and mobility while relieving tightness and pain.
Try a Posture-Corrector
For additional help with posture, consider the following:
BrilliStar Magnetic Therapy Posture Support Back Brace ($18.99, shop here) is a training device that is intended to be worn for a few hours every day. Most users saw a noticeable improvement after several months.
The Upright Go S ($59.95, shop here) is a small device that sticks to your upper back with a built-in movement sensor. You can customize the device to vibrate when your posture gets out of alignment, ultimately training your body to maintain proper posture. The dad syncs to an app so that you can track your progress.
UPOSTURE-C ($41.99, shop here) is a wearable device that provides comfortable vibration alerts when your body exhibits poor posture. It’s equipped with a smart algorithm that reacts to the user’s posture behavior and automatically adjusts the tolerance time before setting off the posture-correction reminder.
Do you have any tips for maintaining or correcting posture? Share them with us in the comments below!