It appears that Mom was right.
Dr. Kenton Fibel, a family medicine physician specializing in sports medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Anaheim, California says that “having poor posture can put more stress on certain muscles and joints, forcing them to be overworked and causing them to fatigue. Many patients with chronic pain can be helped by addressing their poor posture”.
Christopher Cousins, a physical therapist based in the District of Columbia says “your posture reflects your outlook on the world”.
Counteract your body’s bad habits – whether you’re standing or sitting – with these tips:
Sit up straight. Imagine you’re a puppet and somebody just yanked your hair straight up in the air. (Ouch!) For most of us, that would almost perfectly align us, says Dr. Cynthia Vaughn, spokeswoman for the American Chiropractic Association, who practices in Austin, Texas. Your spine should not be curved, nor should your head be dipped. Instead, sit erect and look straight ahead. Your feet should touch the floor, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, she explains.
Ditch the heels. If you want to maintain the essential 90-degree angle while seated, you’ll have to kick off your heels. But if you’re a fan of the shoes, wear them sparingly, Vaughn says. Standing in heels can also impact your posture. “They can create an increased lumbar curve in the lower back,” she says, resulting in lower back pain. Guys, unload your back pockets. Sitting on that bulky wallet can create an uneven cheek situation that could twist your pelvis.
Stand tall. The same ear-positioning rule is recommended for optimal posture while standing. If your job or other activities like cooking have you on your feet for more than 30 minutes, try resting one foot on something about four to six inches off the ground. This will create a slight bend in your knee that will take some pressure off your lower back. If that’s not an option, Vaughn recommends keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, with your weight distributed evenly between both feet. Then, gently lean left, then right; back and forth, she explains, to prevent fatigue-induced contortions.
Try yoga. Yoga helps lengthen the spine, says Judi Bar, yoga program manager at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. “Lengthening the spine is really just coming to a normal, well-aligned, physiologically good stance,” she says. To stand tall, she recommends practicing mountain pose. Roll your shoulders back, raise your chin so your ears are above your shoulders and relax your arms at your sides. To loosen and soften muscles, which helps build balance and release tension, Bar recommends doing the cat pose. Place your hands and knees on the ground and round your back toward the ceiling. To strengthen your upper back and neck, try planks. “Stretch the tight muscles and strengthen the weak muscles,” she says. “Over time, it does automatically help you with posture.”
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz respond as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from.
cheers
Had a professional make the site for me.
My spouse and I stumbled over here different web address and thought I may as well check things out.
I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to exploring your web page yet again.
Thank you
Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and internet and this is actually irritating. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this web site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
Not yet, working towards that direction. There is a sign up at bottom of home page.
Your web site has excellent material. I bookmarked the site
Hi there! Such a nice post, thanks!