Good posture. I will admit, this is not something I often think about. I found myself slouching in my chair, hunched over my computer multiple times a day. But improving your posture can have positive long term effects on your health, and it is important that people are aware of what poor posture can do to your body.
I wad doing yoga a few days ago, which is a great exercise for posture. I can feel my spine lengthening, my neck long, and my back straight. Once I complete a yoga workout, I find myself more focused on the way I am sitting and standing. I sit up taller at the table, I throw my shoulders back while walking, I feel good about myself. But then a few days later I’m back to my hunchback ways. So how can we improve our posture?
If you weren’t already aware, poor posture can do a lot more than make you look like an undignified Miley Cyrus at the Oscars. According to an article on Shape.com, it can also cause continual neck and back pain, frequent migraines, arthritic symptoms, and fatigue. Shape recommends checking your self out in a mirror. You should be able to draw an imaginary straight line from your earlobe to your hip to your knee and the center of your ankle. If you are sitting, put your feet flat on the floor, push your butt back to the end of the chair so your back is completely supported and your weight’s equally distributed on both hips, then push your shoulders back to take the strain off of your neck muscles.
Being aware of your posture will not only make you look better, but also feel better. I recommend practicing yoga, which forces you to sit straight and focus on your posture. Try thinking of these tips when you are sitting at the table or at your desk. The pain that you won’t feel from being hunched will just be another reward. And be sure to check out Shape.com for other posture improving tips.
Photo Credit: Shape.com
Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!