Most people don’t even realize they have poor posture until they are dealing with some form of back or neck pain. You may be astonished to see what your posture looks like on a day-to-day basis if you are not aware of it and make an effort to concentrate on good form.
While it’s not always easy to maintain the perfect posture all day, every day, it is super important for your spinal health. This is especially true if you’re an office worker or hold down a job where repetitive strain injury is a common reality.
Check out this blog for 5 important posture tips to help you keep back and neck pain at bay.
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Keep Your Spine in Good Alignment
What does this even mean and what does good spine alignment look like? In short, it means keeping your spine in its most natural position. The best way to maintain spine alignment is to ensure your body weight is as evenly distributed as possible.
For example, if you’re sitting at your desk, keep your spine aligned with a good, ergonomic chair. Your feet should be flat on the ground, your chin should be tucked, and your shoulders rolled back. The right chair will make this natural posture easier for you to maintain.
If you’re standing, keep your weight evenly distributed across both feet to keep a neutral spine and prevent back pain.
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Move Your Body Regularly
This tip is important if you spend a good chunk of your day in an office chair or sitting down. Your muscles will tire and you will find yourself slouching and slumping, which leads to terrible posture and neck and back pain — something Chiropractic Approach can help with!
Make sure to get out of your chair on a regular basis and move your body to wake up your muscles and adjust your posture. Even if you can’t leave your desk, stretch out your neck, wrists, and spine by sitting upright. If you can get up, make sure you do so and stretch, stand, and walk to promote good blood flow.
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Use Posture-Friendly Props to Support Your Spine
In order to promote a better posture, especially when sitting all day, you want to make the most of posture props that are both supportive, and take the load off your spine. The best place to start is with an ergonomic office chair.
You could also use footrests, a portable lumbar support rest, or a rolled-up towel or small pillow. You can use these posture props while sitting, or driving.
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Concentrate on Posture Awareness
In order to improve your posture, you need to become 100 percent aware of it. It takes a little bit of work and effort to maintain a healthy spine. It’s important to think about your posture not when you’re just at work, but at home, when driving, shopping for groceries, standing in a queue, lifting your children, etc.
Make a conscious effort to maintain a neutral spine whenever you can and you will notice your back and neck pain begin to ease.
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Always Wear Supportive Shoes
This one for those who spend much of their day on their feet. A good pair of supportive shoes can do wonders for your posture and your spinal health. But even if your day is mostly sedentary, supportive shoes are still very important.
Good shoe, ankle, and in-step support help to maintain a neutral spine, which improves your posture when you’re walking and standing. If you stand for long periods of time, try propping one leg up on a footrest, then alternate.
Looking For More Health, Wellness, and Posture Tips?
By applying these posture tips to your everyday life you can do wonders for the health of your spine. Dealing with back and neck pain can be debilitating, but with posture awareness, you can save yourself these aches!
If you’re trying to live a healthier, more active lifestyle, you’re in the right place. Explore the rest of this site for regular updates on all things spinal health, wellness, nutrition, and more.
