Improve Your Posture By Changing Poor Habits

If you've been experiencing pain in your back or neck in certain positions, then there's a good chance that your posture is to blame. Sitting or standing with poor posture puts unnecessary strain on your spine and muscles, leading to pain and fatigue. It can also cause long-term problems like rounded shoulders and a forward head position. So next time you catch yourself slouching, stand up straight and tall to avoid these posture problems. Here is how bad posture can affect you and the steps that you can take to fix it:

Poor Circulation

When you have poor posture, your body cannot circulate blood properly. As a result, you could encounter several health problems, including fatigue, numbness, and tingling in the extremities. When blood flow is inadequate, organs and tissues may not receive the oxygen and nutrients they need, and waste products may build up. This could lead to cell death, organ damage, and many other problems. Good posture can get your blood flowing to a healthier degree.

Muscle Imbalance

Bad posture can cause a muscle imbalance in the body. Muscle and joint pain as well as decreased range of motion may be a result on this imbalance. Your muscles should be balanced to avoid injury and to move efficiently. When your muscles are not aligned, certain parts of your body have to work harder and unevenly to compensate, which is how it might result in injury. Adjusting your posture can prevent you from suffering from these risks.

Joint Degeneration

Poor posture has been known to cause a degree of joint degeneration. Joint degeneration is the deterioration of the cartilage and underlying bone within a joint. That, in turn, will cause pain, stiffness, decreased range of motion, arthritis, and other problems. Proper posture helps joints by taking the pressure off of them. When you have good posture, your joints are in alignment and they move more freely.

Reduced Lung Capacity

Your lung capacity could be significantly reduced due to bad posture. When you have poor posture, your lungs are unable to fully expand and contract. Reduced lung capacity can cause shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest. It can also increase levels of fatigue and cause a decrease in activity levels. Good posture can help improve your breathing by ensuring that your airways are open and not restricted.

Poor Digestion

Digestive problems might result from bad posture, especially when sitting. By allowing your organs to get compressed, poor posture can impede your digestion and increase in severity of gastrointestinal problems. It's important to keep the stomach and intestines in their natural position to allow food to move through the digestive tract more easily. A better posture will make your body's internal functions run smoother.

Fixing Your Posture

Many common causes of bad posture lie in how you sit and stand. When sitting, you should avoid slouching in a chair. Sitting with your neck craned back and chin poking out can also be damaging to your posture. When you sit in a chair, aim to keep your back and legs perpendicular. If you work at a desk, keep your face pointed straight at your screen, and try not to have your neck bent too far forward, back, or on its side. Adjust your seating accordingly in a manner that's both comfortable for you and proactive in correcting your posture.

When you're standing, you could be doing it with your buttocks out or your back not aligned with your legs. You want to keep your legs, back, neck, and head as aligned as possible when you're standing to correct your posture.

Creating a daily exercise routine focused on posture can help, as well as seeing a physiotherapist or chiropractor. Many posture exercises are easy to perform and can be done at home.

Great Exercises and Stretches for Good Posture

You can get started on fixing your posture as soon as right now. There are exercises you can try to achieve good posture. Form is everything when it comes to correcting posture, so you'll want to keep your neck, back, and limbs straight as you stretch. Here are a handful of stretches and exercises that are great for beginners and target the most affected areas:

The Plank

1. Begin by facing the floor, and raising yourself from the ground with your forearms and toes. Relax your head while keeping your arms and legs straight.
2. Straighten and tighten your torso, this will put your spine in a neutral position. Your shoulders should be down, and your toes should be pointed slightly up in the direction of your head.
3. After holding the plank position for ten seconds, repeat anywhere between 3 to 6 repetitions.

Curl Ups

1. Lie flat on your back and cross your arms over your chest. Bend your knees so that your feet are firmly planted on the floor and at a close but comfortable distance from your buttocks.
2. Raise your upper body, starting around your waist and torso area and crunching your abs by about 30 degrees. Your buttocks and feet should stay flat on the floor. Your shoulders should come close to the same height as your knees.
3. Repeat 20 times or for around 30 seconds.

Bridges

1. Start in a similar position as a curl-up, with your back and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your sides.
2. Gently lift your hips to a position where your back is flat and lined up with your buttocks. Your feet should still be planted flat on the floor.
3. Hold this position for about twenty seconds and try to aim between 5 to 10 repetitions.

Doorway Stretch

1. Find a door frame and line your upper arms up with the sides on the outside of the frame.
2. Slowly step just a bit outside of the door, enough that you can feel the muscles in your shoulder stretching.
3. Hold the position for around twenty seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times.

Take advantage of these simple exercises and focus on maintaining improved posture daily. Paying attention to good posture will serve you for many years and increase the quality of your daily life."