Bad posture is so widespread – how can we go about improving it and what benefits does it bring?
Look around your workplace and you will see numerous examples of bad posture. Many people have rounded shoulders, hunched upper backs, tense necks, overarched lower backs and protruding abdominals. What can be done about it?
Get some posture power!
Do you want to lose five pounds and grow an extra inch in five seconds?
Simple – stand up straight and quit slouching! Great posture gives you an air of confidence and ease about how you stand and move.
What’s the damage?
When the body is out of alignment, there is abnormal pressure on joints and this can result in injury and faulty movement patterns. However, you can fix your posture with corrective exercise and as a result you will have better muscle symmetry and it will help you avoid injury in the gym. Good posture not only looks great, but it keeps the muscles and skeleton in alignment and balance.
Our bodies are designed to move, but when we spend a lot of time sitting with bad posture, when a muscle is repeatedly put into a shortened position, it will shorten and become tight. Continuous rounding of the shoulders may tighten and shorten your chest, front shoulders and neck muscles. On the opposite side, the antagonistic muscles on your upper back may be getting weaker and long in relation to the ones in the front. As these muscles lengthen and weaken, weight bearing relationships change as the head moves forward leading to neck tension, strain and possibly headaches. If you go to the gym and do more chest to back work, this can make the problem worse by pulling your shoulders further forward by tightening your chest muscles. We’ve all seen guys at gym who train their chest more than their backs and as a consequence have rounded their shoulders forward.
Good posture and balanced muscles for a lifetime
To fix your present posture/muscle imbalances from modern living, incorporate full body stretches and exercises to your gym or home routine. This can help correct these imbalances and your muscles are working correctly. Your other gym exercises will benefit as all of your muscles will start to ‘fire up’ properly. You will benefit by having more overall muscle symmetry and strength in the gym.
Desk repair
Try sitting on a Swiss ball at your desk so you are more aware of your posture and put a post-it note on your computer to remind yourself not to slouch. Corrective exercises combined with sitting/standing straight will strengthen the muscles that will keep your posture perfect for a lifetime.
Corrective stretch at your desk
Neck side stretch
This can be done at your desk to relieve neck tension during the day.
Sit on a Swiss ball and sit with your back straight. Extend your right arm down the side of the Swiss ball. Keep the right hand and fingers pulled toward the floor. Now bend your head to the left, aim your ear towards your left shoulder and then take your left hand to your head to intensify the stretch. Hold for 30-60 sec. Repeat for the other side.
Audrey Kaipio is a personal trainer. This information was provided by HSF Health Plan.
