You’re spending so much time slouching your way through life, you can’t hear your body pleading to halt your hunching tendencies toward painful joints and muscles. That’s right, your body’s had enough of your poor posture, so we’re speaking in behalf of your body with some simple steps on how to improve posture so your body can breathe a sigh of relief.
You weren’t born with poor posture. Sadly, we train ourselves to hunch over a desk, slump into an easy chair, and slouch our shoulders as we walk, leading to misaligned joints, muscle aches, and even worse, looking older than our perfect-postured counterparts! The good news is you can retrain your body in a matter of weeks, gaining back better balance, alignment, and even a younger look of confidence.
Don’t think you have poor posture? Start by standing as normally as possible while someone takes a picture of you from the side. Look at the photo to see if you’re arching your back, rounding your shoulders, or pushing your head forward. If you notice any of these poor posture traits, try these easy steps on how to improve posture:
X Marks the Spot
First, stand up straight with your shoulders held back. Have someone put non-stretch tape across your back in the shape of an X, from each shoulder to opposite hip. Then put a straight line of tape across your shoulders to close off the X on top. Worn during the day, you can retrain your back to align correctly.
Strengthen Your Core
One of the most overlooked ways to improve posture is with exercises to strengthen your core since abdominal and lower back muscles connect to your spine and pelvis. Don’t bother with old-style sit ups because they only work a few muscles. You can do any form of yoga, pilates, or core fitness workout programs to help target your core.
Sit Up Straight
Stop straining your neck and shoulders when you work. Sit with your back against your chair with your feet flat on the floor. When you look at your computer screen, make sure your eyes are level with the center of the screen.
Pick Up Some Posture Apps
Finding it hard to stand and sit properly on your own? Your body won’t necessarily remind you, so pick up some apps or build your own posture sensor for your chair to get you back on the straight and narrow.
Set a Timer
That’s right. Set your timer or phone to go off every 10 minutes throughout the day and check your posture every time it goes off. Before long, you won’t need a timer to remind yourself to stand tall and sit up straight.
Chiropractic Help
Sometimes your body needs extra help beyond simple stretches and exercises for regaining good posture. Chiropractic work can help improve your alignment, adjust body positioning, and aid you in better posture. Dr. Knight at True North Chiropractic can assess your body and give specific instructions tailored for your body and how to improve your posture. Call 801-447-1647 today for an appointment.