Is your posture affecting your health? Here are a few tips to improve your posture.

      We often hear that having a good posture is important for good health. We acknowledge poor posture when we notice it formed as a result of bad habits over the years. However, very few people realize its importance. Good posture is the foundation of physical health, musculoskeletal health, and even psychological health. The reason for this is because it allows your body to function as it was designed to, providing an ideal architecture so that you have symmetrical weight distribution throughout your body. Normally, we do not consciously maintain ideal posture. Instead, certain muscles such as our hamstrings and large back muscles do it for us. While ligaments help to hold the skeletal system together, postural muscles when functioning properly prevent forces of gravity from pushing us over. Posture muscles also help maintain our posture and balance during movement.

Here are a few fun and easy tips to help you improve your posture:

• Breathing: Stop what you’re doing and without adjusting your body position try to take a deep breath. Now sit up straight, bring your shoulder back, look straight ahead and try it again. Feel a difference? Compare breathing with good and bad posture and keep in mind that more air into the body means more oxygen to the brain. Thus, better thinking and more energy throughout the day.
• Stand in front of the mirror and strike a pose. Self-reflection can help you realize that by altering how you sit or stand can not only make you feel better but also give you more confidence.
• Mid back squeeze: Stand or sit up straight with your arms hanging by your side, slightly bend your elbows and pull your shoulder blades together. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat up to 5 times. You should feel a mild stretch along your chest and a burning sensation between your shoulder blades. Build gradually, up to 5 times per day.
• Chin tuck: looking forward and without tilting your head try to pull your head straight back, about 1 inch. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat 3 times. This can be done while sitting or walking. Build gradually, up to 5 times per day.
• Pelvic tilt: Sitting up or standing straight, relax your spine letting your butt stick out slightly. Now draw your hips forward so they are aligned with your ribs and tighten your abdominal muscles.  Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 5 times up to 5 times per day.
• Standing up at regular 30-minute intervals. For those individuals who sit for long period of time, it is wise to take micro breaks every 30 minutes and stretch. Although, this may be difficult to do while driving you may want to head on the road sooner to have a chance to pull over and stretch.

Be aware that in the beginning, you will not be able to hold an ideal posture all day. But eventually, as you become more conscious, build up your core and strengthen your back muscles, your posture will become quite natural. Here at the office we can assist you with proper posture and make recommendations to have you looking and feeling as the powerful confident person you are.

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