Has slouching become your new normal? If so, you’re in good company. Most of us spend countless hours slumped over a laptop or hunched over a phone. In our digital age, poor posture has become second nature.
But how you sit and stand affects more than how you look. Bad posture strains your muscles and can wreak havoc on your spinal health. Over time, this can cause pain and increase the risk of injuries.
The good news is, you’re not destined to become a hunchback. You can fix poor posture, no matter how ingrained your slouching habits are. Read on to learn 7 ways to improve your posture – so you can stand tall and feel your best.
Good Posture vs. Bad Posture
The first step to fixing your posture is to understand what good posture is. So let’s break down what good posture looks like.
Good posture
Good posture positions your body to maintain the natural curve in your spine. This keeps your weight evenly balanced and ensures your muscles don’t become overstretched.
Here are a few keys for good standing posture:
- Stand up straight and tall
- Keep your shoulders down and back
- Your head is level over your shoulders
- Tummy is in
- Feet are about shoulder width apart
- Weight is balanced between both feet
The gist of good posture is your head, shoulders, hips, and ankles should all be aligned.
Bad posture
Bad posture is any position where the spine isn’t properly aligned.
Text neck is one of the most common forms of bad posture today. It happens when your head is angled down looking over your phone – and it’s bad news for your neck. Here’s why…
A human head weighs about 11 pounds. When your head is balanced over your body, you don’t feel its weight much. But tilt your head just 15 degrees forward, and it feels more like 27 pounds. Lean forward 30 degrees, and it jumps to 40 pounds.
Over time, this puts extra pressure on your spine and gives your neck quite a workout. This can lead to neck pain, stiffness, and headaches.
Hunchback is another form of bad posture. As the name suggests, this involves rounding the shoulders forward. This position causes too much forward curve in the spine. If this goes on for too long, it can lead to stiff muscles, back pain, or sciatica.
Why is Good Posture Important?
Well, for starters, bad posture puts extra pressure on your muscles, ligaments, and joints. This increases the risk for a host of health issues, including:
- Neck pain
- Shoulder knots
- Back pain and sciatica
- Headaches
- Trouble breathing
- Increased risk of injuries
But it goes deeper than that. Research shows good posture can boost your energy, mood, and confidence. And who doesn’t want more of that?
What Causes Bad Posture?
Poor posture can be due to:
- Genetics (e.g. scoliosis)
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Weak core muscles
- Tight or strained muscles
- Stress (which can lead to muscle tightness)
- Carrying heavy backpacks or purses
- Wearing high heels or shoes that don’t fit properly
But for many people, daily habits are to blame for bad posture. This could be due to slouching, technology overuse, or sitting for prolonged periods.
Luckily, it is possible to correct your posture, no matter how many years you’ve been slouching.
How to Improve Posture
Here are seven ways to help your body to maintain good posture:
1 – Be mindful
The first step to changing your posture is to build awareness of your current posture habits. Doing posture checks every 15 minutes is one simple way to do this. You can set an alarm on your phone or post a sticky note next to your desk as a reminder.
See what you notice. Do you jut your head forward when sitting? Or round your shoulders when standing? Whenever you notice poor posture creep back, make gentle adjustments as needed.
You can also consider using a posture corrector to kickstart good posture habits.
2 – Adjust your desk setup
Having an ergonomic-friendly workspace can have a huge impact on your posture habits. Here’s how to have good posture while sitting:
- Sit up straight with your ears over your pelvis
- Keep your back against your chair
- Knees bent at a 90-degree angle level with your hips
- Feet flat on the floor with legs uncrossed
- Shoulders relaxed
- Elbows by your sides with forearms parallel to the ground
- Computer monitor at eye level (monitor stands can help with this)
Be sure to use a supportive chair – or place a back pillow or rolled-up towel behind your back. You may also want to consider a standing or adjustable desk, so you don’t sit too long.
3 – Sleep smart
Just like when standing, your ears, shoulders, and hips should be aligned when sleeping. This is where pillows come in handy.
If you’re a side sleeper, bend your knees slightly towards your chest. Consider placing a pillow between your knees to help keep your spine aligned. This reduces pressure on your hips and lower back, which may ease pain and discomfort.
If you’re a back sleeper, consider placing a pillow behind your knees to support the natural curve in your spine. Stomach sleeping is generally a no-no because it puts extra strain on your back and spine.
Sleeping on a supportive mattress is also key to maintaining good posture. This will help distribute your weight evenly and support your spine’s natural curves.
4 – Try yoga or pilates
Exercise in general supports good posture. But yoga and pilates can be especially helpful for improving posture. They both stretch and strengthen your body and build body awareness.
More awareness means you’re more likely to catch poor posture and readjust. The more yoga or pilates you do, the more you train your body to keep your spine aligned.
If you’re new to yoga or pilates, here are a couple of beginner’s workouts to help you get started:
5 – Strengthen your core
Your core muscles help stabilize your spine to keep it in proper alignment. So when your core muscles are weak, it can lead to slouching. Strengthening these muscles can help you stand tall and maintain good posture.
Here are a few core exercises to improve posture, along with demo links to help you get started:
6 – Take movement breaks
Most of us don’t move nearly enough these days. The trouble is, the longer you sit, the more prone you are to poor posture. So whether you’re working at your desk, or curled up on the couch watching TV, try to move or adjust your body every 30 minutes. Stand and walk around or do some jumping jacks or squats.
Or better yet, take a few minutes to do some good posture exercises, like:
7 – Get chiropractic care
Chiropractors are experts in correcting postural imbalances. They can help identify any posture issues you may be having, such as:
- Hunchback (kyphosis)
- Forward head positioning (aka “text neck”)
- Scoliosis
- Uneven hips/pelvis
- Low back issues
- Problems with curvature in the neck
Once posture issues are identified, chiropractors adjust the spine to get it in proper alignment. This can improve mobility and make it easier to maintain good posture.
To paint a picture, in one case study a woman with a severe hunching posture sought chiropractic care for chronic back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Her treatment plan consisted of spinal adjustments and targeted posture exercises.
Over 6 months, her posture dramatically improved and she had significant symptom relief. Upper back pain disappeared, lower back pain was reduced by 80%, and she had 50% fewer headaches.
How Long Does It Take to Improve Bad Posture?
It takes time to form new habits. But with some consistency, you can expect to see an improvement in your posture within 3-4 weeks. The key is to stick with it!
Fix Your Posture and Feel Better with Chiropractic Care in Orland Park, IL
Live in the Chicago area and tired of poor posture habits causing you pain and discomfort? Anchored in Health is here to help. Our chiropractor has been helping Chicagoans correct postural issues like hunchback and text neck for over 20 years.
So if you’re ready to fix your posture and get relief from back pain, neck pain, or headaches, follow these steps:
- Contact us with questions.
- Book your first chiropractic care appointment here.
- Start improving your posture so you can stand tall and feel better!
Other Holistic Health Services Offered at Anchored in Health in Orland Park, IL
At Anchored in Health, we take a holistic approach to health care. That’s why we offer a variety of services to support your health and well-being, including functional medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, and the Shape ReClaimed program. We even offer holistic assessments like genetic testing and thermography.
If you live in the greater Chicago area, reach out to find out how we can support you in living your healthiest life!
References
- https://medlineplus.gov/guidetogoodposture.html
- https://www.wtvr.com/2015/02/19/heres-exactly-why-the-weight-of-your-head-is-causing-problems
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17553728/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5865731/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4499985/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5574330/