Sitting down more is the new normal for many of us. Sitting down too much leads to back problems. When you experience pain in your back, neck or legs, check your posture. You could be sitting in the wrong position.
Posture Problems Checklist
If you experience any of the following you may have a problem with your posture:
- Pot belly
- Rounded shoulders
- Pain in the lower back
- Pain in the neck or upper back
- Finding it hard to stand up straight
- Muscle Fatigue
- Headaches
- Migraines
5 Tips to Improve Your Posture
Correcting posture problems takes work. As always, prevention is better than cure. However, most of us experience posture problems and a posture corrector can help. Check out our 5 easy-to-follow solutions for better posture.
1 Invest In Back Support
Getting things right from the start is important. When you know your daily life involves an excessive amount of sitting down, it is important that you at least sit in the right position.
Posture supports help a great deal. There are various supports to choose from. For instance, if you sit at a desk for a longer period of time, you should make sure you have an ergonomic chair with lumbar support.
When you drive long distances, it is also important to have a support that offers you lumbar and helps to improve your spinal alignment.
Most new cars, trucks and vans have ergonomic seats. But, when you find yourself driving a vehicle that does not have enough support, it is best to find an alternative.
2 Invest In a Standing Desk Desk
Investing in a standing desk is a great idea. Standing up to work is becoming more popular. It improves circulation and reduces the chances of developing a pot belly.
When you first buy a standing desk, make sure that you buy one that helps with your neck alignment. It is easy to forget that our necks form part of our spinal column.
Standing desks are popping up everywhere. They are an excellent choice when you do a lot of computer work.
If you feel that you are still experiencing lumbar pressure when you use a standing desk, you can opt for wearing a lumbar pack support. Modern lumbar supports have come a long way. They are compact and easy to wear.
3 Walking for Better Spinal Health
Walking is one of the best ways to improve your posture.
When you walk, you naturally adopt a position benefiting your spine.
Best of all, you don’t need to go for long walks. Your Back Pain Relief recommends whether you work from home or in an office, it is often challenging to take longer breaks. Walking more often is better when you want to improve your posture.
Going for three 20-minute walks per day rapidly improves your posture. If you find it challenging to keep your spine aligned correctly, try using a pair of Scandinavian walking poles.
Wearing a back support is another idea that you can try. A lumbar support is normally better than other back supports. When you wear a lumbar support, you can still swing your arms which is important when you exercise.
There are also shoes that help to improve your spinal alignment. Masai Walking shoes help when it comes to adopting a better posture. An added benefit of Masai shoes is that they also help to tone your legs.
4 Swimming and Other Exercises
If you don’t like walking, there are other exercises you can do for better posture.
Apart from walking, one of the best exercises you can do is swimming. There are many different styles of swimming that you can try. The breaststroke is one of the best strokes for posture.
Switching between a variety of swimming strokes is another top tip for better posture.
Many who experience posture problems also say cross-training helps them.
What is cross-training? This is when you do a range of exercises during the week. Some of the best exercises for better posture include yoga, pilates and tai-chi.
That does not mean you should not try other exercise formats. Working out with light weights helps a lot. Strengthening the muscles and tendons helps is an excellent way of supporting your back and reducing the risk of posture problems.
When you are not sure what exercises are right for you, it is a good idea to speak to a physiotherapist.
5 Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position matters.
Most of us don’t want to use a posture support in bed. But, the truth is using posture support is a great help.
That does not mean you need to have a large oversized support in your bed such as a body pillow. That being said, body pillows are excellent for making sure we stay in the right sleeping position during the night.
Posture supports for sleeping range from pillows to much larger supports. Once again, it is important you source the right one for your personal needs.
First of all, you should identify your sleeping position, and how to sleep with back pain. Are you a back, stomach or side sleeper? When you know that, you can start shopping around for the right support.
Tips for Posture Supports
Don’t hang on to your posture supports for too long. Just like the pillow in your bed, you need to update or change it from time to time.
If your posture support has become saggy or you feel that it is not supporting you anymore, it is time to change.
Final Thoughts
Looking after your posture is important. The right posture helps you to breathe better and in general improves your health.
Our posture is something that many of us forget or ignore. Looking after your posture and your entire body will look after you better for many years to come.
Remember that if you can’t explain your back pain or other symptoms, it is always best to visit a health professional.