Considering how much time we spend sitting down, it’s no wonder we’re getting closer to looking like Quasimodo each day. We sit at the office, we sit in front of our computers, we go out and spend our times sitting at tall bar stools, twisting our bodies into unnatural positions. And when it’s time to walk proudly down the street, we end up with our shoulders slumped and our image ruined by terrible posture that is not only unattractive, but extremely unhealthy as well. Bad posture affects a lot more things than people are aware of. When we’re young, we usually don’t have any issues with back pain, but as we grow older our muscles degrade and we’re faced with lower back aches that just won’t go away.
Instead of letting the problem fester and risk having bad back for the rest of your life, we have a few tips that will help you resolve any issues with your posture and give you a proud, confident stance.
Exercise at home
The absolute best way to fix your posture is to remain active as much as you can and to find a way to strengthen your back and your core muscles. This will help keep your spine aligned properly. There are various exercises that you can do that are specifically aimed at helping you improve your posture, and they can all be done at home. For example, one of these exercises is really easy. You want to be lying on your back, knees bent and feet firmly on the floor. Put your hands behind your head and lift your head up. Start by pulling one knee up to your chest, while extending your other leg and lifting it slowly off the floor. Your leg must be kept straight at all times. Lift it up as far as you can and then slowly lower it with each exhale. Repeat this with the other leg. You can do three sets of about ten repetitions and then later increase the number of sets as you grow stronger.
What you want to focus on are basically your core muscles. You need stronger abdominal muscles because you don’t really want to let your back do all the work. The effort needs to be distributed evenly. It’s also a good idea to go to the gym as frequently as you can, or to maybe get some commercial gym equipment for your home. It’s a big investment, but getting a treadmill or an elliptical can really solve all your issues with staying active while helping you save time.
Try a hoverboard
The less time you spend sitting during the day, the better. So, even when you’re moving around the city, you want to be active. Getting a bike is an option, but we’re frequently hunched over while we ride it and cyclists are notorious for their back pain problems, so getting yourself a self-balancing scooter is a much better idea. You need to stand up straight just to be able to ride it. Your legs, shoulders, abdomen, and your back muscles will all be getting a workout as you effortlessly glide around the town. And unlike gym equipment, these don’t cost a fortune to maintain. Spare parts are easy to come by, so even if you got something in a fun color, don’t worry. Your purple, red, gold, white, black or blue self-balancing scooter parts can all be easily replaced. These little hoverboards are practical and great to use, and you can ride them to your heart’s content as you swoosh around, knowing it’s good for your back.
Take standing breaks
Our ancestors used to spend the whole day working in the field, and they only sat down when they came home to have dinner. We all sit around a lot more than we really need to, and bad posture is hardly the only problem caused by sitting. So, let yourself take breaks occasionally, where you just get up to stretch your legs and walk around, or simply stand for a few minutes before you have to get back to your workplace. If you can walk somewhere instead of driving or taking the bus, do it. Even if you take just a two-minute standing break every half an hour, you’ll be doing yourself the world of good because you’ll be training your body to get used to more activity.
Learn how to sit properly
Sometimes sitting just can’t be avoided. If you’re at work and have to sit for the most part, then you should at least learn how to do it right. To minimize the damage to your posture, make sure that you are always fully leaned against the back of your chair. Your knees should be slightly apart, and your feet flat on the ground. If you are working in front of a monitor, keep it slightly tilted upwards so you’d have less reason to slouch. Keep your shoulders squared, and your neck, back and heels aligned. Don’t keep crossing your legs, and try to at least roll your neck and your shoulders occasionally, to alleviate the pressure.
Give yourself reminders
If we aren’t used to standing upright, our shoulders will keep slouching. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a small reminder to make sure you remember to straighten up whenever you see it. It doesn’t need to be anything obvious. Something small, like a piece of red string tied around your finger, or a different phone background can suffice.
If you have issues with your posture, then it’s never too late to start working on them. With these little tips, you can help yourself become more active and prevent a lot of back pain, not to mention learn how to look better as you walk down the street.