Poor posture can lead to impaired athletic performance, chronic pain, digestive problems and injury. In some cases, poor posture is the result of inherited muscular imbalances. In others, it is a form of imitation. For example, if one of your parents had a tendency to stand and walk in a specific manner, you may unintentionally mimic that posture. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to correct abnormal posture. These exercises should be performed for three sets of 12 repetitions, three times weekly.
Correcting Rounded Shoulders
Thanks to the Age of Technology, many people exhibit a perpetually forward-flexed alignment. This misalignment is compounded by spending hours online, and then focusing an entire workout on exercises such as the crunch and the chest fly. Fortunately, it can be corrected by performing exercises such as the lat-pulldown and the seated row.
For the lat-pulldown, avoid shoulder impingement by bringing the bar down in front of your body. This exercise works the lats, which run down the sides of your back. It is performed from a seated position. The seated row is performed by grasping the equipment handles, bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Correcting Lordosis
People with lordotic postures tend to arch their lower backs. The cat exercise, which is performed on the hands and knees, is an effective way to correct this alignment. Begin by drawing your belly in, tilting your pelvis and rounding your back so that you look like an angry cat. Keep your back in a flat position on the return.
Correcting Shoulder Misalignment
The shoulders were not designed as extensions of the ears. As such, when excess tension causes shoulder elevation, mobility is compromised. Begin by tensing your shoulders and raising them even higher. Take a breath in. Hold them in the tense position for one moment, and then let the breath out and allow them to drop. Do this eight times. Then, let your arms drop by your side, and perform 12 shoulder circles in a backward direction.
Correcting Hyperextended Knees
Hyperextension of the knees occurs when the knees are in a locked position. It can lead to knee injuries as well as other types of postural misalignment. Because locked knees are often the result of weak hamstrings, the stability ball leg curl is a highly effective exercise for correcting this problem. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ball, separated at hip width apart. Lift each vertebra of your spine until you are in a bridge. Remain in the bridge as you bend and straighten your legs.
Foam Roller Dead Bug
If you have a tendency to favor one side of your body over the other, the foam roller dead bug can correct this problem. Lie on the roller with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Make sure that the top of your head and the base of your spine are in contact with the roller. Your hands should rest by your side. Slowly lift one foot about 10 inches from the floor. Do not allow your weight to shift to the other side. Repeat on the other leg. When you become proficient, lift both legs, and then slowly lower one foot at a time toward the floor.
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