Your posture is a key element of your body language that is going to shape people’s perceptions of you. More importantly than that, however, your posture could have a big impact on how you feel physically. Good posture can help you avoid orthopedic problems, feel stronger, and be better able to achieve your fitness goals. Here are some strategies that can help you build better posture.
Build Up Upper Body Strength
Developing upper body strength will make it much easier for you to stand up straight and sit upright comfortably. With a strong frame, good posture is going to come more naturally to you.
To increase muscle mass, focus on exercises that increase strength and endurance in your upper body. When you’re working out, use row variations that activate all of the key muscle groups around your back, neck, and shoulders.
Be Wary of “Tech Neck”
Continually craning your neck down to look at your phone or another device is going to take a serious toll on your cervical spine and the supporting muscle groups. This phenomenon of “tech neck” is becoming extremely prevalent as more and more people spend hours of their time attached to their phone. You may have recently noticed that it’s now somewhat common to see people in their thirties or even their twenties with an upper bodied curvature that you would ordinarily associate with geriatric individuals.
The biggest problem with tech neck is that it can cause vertebrae to impinge on the nerves that run along both sides of the spinal column. Nerve root compression may lead to chronic nerve pain. In this region of the spine, that usually takes the form of shooting or tingling pain that can run through the shoulders, arms, and hands. Another problem with a foreword-craning upper body posture is that it may precipitate heavy headedness. Your head is fairly heavy compared with other parts of the body. The further it moves in front of your spine, the heavier it becomes. Over time, the weight of your head could increase dramatically and make it very difficult for your spine and muscles to support it. As a result, nerve impingement and age-related spondylosis worsens.
Spare yourself from pain and poor posture by being conscientious about how you’re holding your phone. Hold it in front of you instead of looking down at it. Put it on a stand when you’re using your phone at your desk or on your couch.
Create an Ergonomic Workstation
A job role that requires you to stay sedentary could be hurting your posture. In particular, office workers who spend their workdays typing are susceptible to repetitive motion injuries and spinal pain attributable to problematic posture.
Put some thought and effort into making your workstation more ergonomic. Get comfortable seating that offers adequate lumbar support. Use a stand to adjust the height of your monitor so you don’t have to hitch up your neck or look down at it.
Take Breaks and Stretch Throughout Your Day
Staying in a seated position all day isn’t good for your upper or lower back, and it makes your joints stiffen. Getting up to stretch periodically gets blood flowing throughout your limbs and extremities, giving muscles the support and reinforcement that they need. Taking breaks makes you less vulnerable to muscle fatigue so you can maintain good posture with less discomfort.
Wear a Supportive Brace
Wearing a brace is an excellent way to keep your upper body upright. A brace will help you retrain your muscles to hold in place correctly.
You don’t have to wear it all of the time. Wearing it for just a couple of hours a day could make a big difference in redefining your muscles. Also, putting a brace on can offer considerable relief when you’re starting to feel sore or weak.
When your efforts to improve your posture pay off, you’ll feel the weight of the world coming off of your shoulders. You’ll feel better, and your strong physical form will support your overall health.