If you have poor posture, you are unnecessarily straining your muscles and putting undue stress on your spine. Over time, poor posture can actually change the structure of the spine, which may result in constricted blood vessels and nerves, and may also negatively affect the discs and surrounding muscles and joints. These changes can cause back and neck pain, as well as headaches and lowered energy levels. Take the time to analyze your posture and correct bad postural habits. Exercises that strengthen surrounding muscle groups can help you keep your head, neck and back in proper alignment.
Identifying the Problem
Examine your posture during all of your daily activities, such as sitting, carrying groceries and standing in line at the post office. Stop every hour on the hour to notice your posture and back support. Ask others to observe your posture and share what they notice.
Books and classes that teach The Alexander Technique can help you learn more about postural mistakes you may be making and how to correct them. Several common mistakes that contribute to poor posture include hunching the shoulders up and forward, carrying heavy items on one side of your body, holding your phone between your neck and shoulder and sleeping without good support.
To test your posture while standing, take the wall test. Stand with the back of your head, shoulder blades and bottom touching a wall, with your heels just a few inches away from the wall. See if you can slide your hand between the curve in your lower back and the wall. If it fits snugly, this is the ideal amount of space. If there is more space, tighten your core muscles to flatten your back further. If there is not enough space to fit your hand, arch your back slightly. As you move away from the wall, try to keep this posture, and remind yourself to return to it throughout the day.
Correct the Problem Areas
When you are seated, keep both feet flat on the floor with your knees level with your hips or slightly higher. A footrest may help you accomplish this. Keep your back against the chair, using a small pillow if necessary. Relax your shoulders and do not allow them to become raised, rounded forward or pulled backward.
When standing, keep your weight mostly on the balls of your feet rather than the heels, with feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your head squarely on top of the neck and spine, rather than pushed forward.
When lifting, bend at the knees rather than the waist and use the leg and abdominal muscles for lifting rather than the lower back. If you are carrying a heavy item, hold it close to the chest. When carrying a backpack or purse, avoid heavy loading and try alternating sides.
A fairly firm mattress is usually best for back support and your pillow should offer support and proper alignment for the head and shoulders. If you sleep on your back, a small pillow under the knees can help back support. Side-sleepers should place the small pillow between the knees.
Exercises to Improve Posture
Exercises that strengthen the back and shoulders are helpful for improving posture. Bent-over rows strengthen the mid and upper back muscles. Lateral pull-downs strengthen the muscles on the sides of the back, so they help you hold your spine straight. Shoulder retractions will build the muscles that pull the shoulder girdle back, which helps you keep your shoulders in correct alignment. Seated rows using a theraband will also strengthen the shoulders and upper back muscles.
Core strength is key to good posture, as good strength around your midsection will enable you to more easily hold everything in place. Weak muscles often lead to sagging and slumping. Pilates and yoga classes are very helpful for developing this important muscle group. At home, doing crunches and holding bridge position and a plank position for as long as you can are exercises that are very effective in building core strength.
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