Poor posture is a problem that affects many people, and few give it importance. Spending all day sitting in the office in front of a computer, working standing up, wearing the wrong bra size, and ignoring when your shoulders are slumped are some of the factors that can weaken both body posture and deform our spine and trigger a series of severe health problems.
Maintaining the correct posture is good for our body and what we transmit to others. You have probably noticed that those who walk with their necks upright, their backs straight, and their shoulders back look more confident, have a better figure, and, believe it or not, have less abdominal volume. If you want to know why it is so important to take care of the position of our body at all times, keep reading this FastlyHealarticle, where we also offer you tricks to improve posture.
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Why good posture is important
Posture plays a significant role in the health of the body. If we get used to maintaining an inappropriate posture, different body parts can be affected and cause long-term injuries that can become irreparable. Among the most critical consequences of not maintaining good posture, we find:
- Lumbago: pain in the lower back extending to the buttocks and legs. It is caused by sitting in the wrong position for a long time or carrying weighty objects with an inappropriate posture.
- Pain in the center of the back: it is the product of sitting with an exaggerated curve in the dorsal area, with the shoulders facing forward, or standing with the belly facing outwards. It causes painful stitches in the back. These are some exercises that help us strengthen the back.
- Cervical injuries: commonly occur when the person is sitting for a long time staring straight ahead, tightening the neck muscles and trapezius. This type of contracture causes a lot of bodily discomfort beyond pain, as they are also associated with dizziness, throbbing, cramps, tingling, and even loss of balance.
- The more incredible amount of abdomen: poor posture can cause the abdomen muscles to sag, causing the belly to appear.
These conditions can be prevented or corrected by using good body posture. Contrary to popular belief, a usually bent over can improve his condition and adopt the correct body position in every action he takes. To achieve this, there are tricks to improve body posture and thus restore health to the muscles and joints of the spine.
How is the correct body posture
While sitting
The shoulders should always be back and down, the back straight, and the neck and the feet should rest on the ground. Crossing the legs should be avoided to avoid circulation problems.
When standing
The correct way to stand is with the abdomen contracted, the back straight, the chest up, the knees semi-bent, and the bodyweight well distributed between both legs.
To walk
The head should be upright and the neck erect. Looking down should be avoided to avoid neck pain.
When sleeping
The best way to sleep is on your side and with your legs were drawn up. This position, known as the fetal posture, is the best way to keep the spine correctly.
Tricks to improve posture: sit on the edge of the chair.
When we are sitting, we tend to lean on the back of the chair, and, typically, we do it inappropriately. A good trick to improve posture is to sit on the edge of the chair, with one foot on the floor and the other extended forward. This will keep your back straight and your neck upright, preventing you from relaxing backward. The position of the feet in this trick is essential to maintain the balance of the back and not generate fatigue.
Look in mirrors
Another trick to improve posture is always looking at yourself in all the mirrors that you come across. This will allow you to see if you are walking or sitting incorrectly. It is essential that when you see yourself in the mirror to correct your posture, you analyze the position of your shoulders, your neck, your back, and your abdomen. Once your channel is straight, your stomach is contracted, your back is straight, and your shoulders are slumped, you are correcting your position.
Program your mind with a color
Some people are fully aware that they have bad posture but are so used to it that they cannot find a way to help themselves because they unconsciously adopt incorrect positions. If this is your case, this trick can be of great help because it will remind you that you are in the process of change.
You should choose a color of your preference, preferably a widespread one, memorize it, and associate it with good posture. Once you have your selected color, you should immediately correct your posture every time you are at home, at work, or on the street and you see that color. There will come the point where it will become customary, and when you visit the color, you will realize that you had nothing to correct because you were in the correct position.
An effective exercise
It is not about training or doing two hours in the gym. It is a position that you should practice at home, and that will help relax the tense muscles in your back so that they are more flexible and you can adopt a proper body posture without pain.
Lie down on a mat on your stomach, and lift yourself with your arms as if you were going to perform a push-up. At the same time, keep your legs and feet on the mat and lift your body from the pelvis to the head, as if a rope is pulling your neck towards the ceiling. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax for 20 seconds and do ten reps.
When you can not do this exercise, remember it and imagine that that rope is pulling your neck at the precise moment you are. Just thinking about it will help your mind adopt a better body posture.
Ask for help
Another trick to improve posture is to tell those closest to you that you need to improve your body position and that every time they see you hunched over, with your shoulders forward, sitting sideways, or slipping in the chair: correct you! Believe it or not, some can take this task so seriously that you will want to hide from them to take a few minutes alone with your back bent. The more people you invite to participate in this trick, the more difficult it will be for you to adopt poor body posture.
Are you a woman? Give heels a break
Yes, heels make you look more stylized, upright, and slender, but the reality is that it is not. For your muscles, heels have another meaning: extra effort to maintain balance, difficulty walking, and muscle tension. All this leads the body to try to keep the gait standing, adopting very inappropriate postures that hurt the nerves and all the body muscles, so fewer heels and more dancers.
Tips to prevent bad posture
In addition to the recommendations set out above, we can try to prevent bad posture by taking a series of tips into account.
- Control your weight. Being overweight is one of the factors that can harm the health of your back.
- Don’t sit for a long time. Try to get up every half hour, even if it’s to go to the bathroom or drink a water glass.
- Avoid carrying weight frequently. This implies bags, backpacks, or any other load that we usually have.
- Change the position of your mattress. The mattress is deforming little by little. Therefore, it is advisable to turn it over every so often so that our body rests better.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.