Slouching is a common problem affecting both youth and adults. Common causes of bad posture include desk jobs, injuries, muscle weakness and technology use. In addition to affecting the way you look, slouching can also affect the way you feel and can make everyday activities painful. If you’re tired of slouching, here are five tips that can help you restore good posture.
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Strengthen Your Core Muscles
Your core muscles include those in your back, abdomen and pelvis. They are responsible for helping you maintain good posture. To strengthen these muscles and improve posture, perform exercises that are specifically designed to tighten your abs and back.
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Lose Excess Weight
Excess weight can put a lot of strain on the spine and cause you to slouch. If good posture is your aim, it’s important to get extra pounds off your body in a healthy way. If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight in the past, Newport Medical and Wellness Center offers a highly successful training program that helps clients lose weight and improve strength. As you lose weight, you’ll most likely notice an improvement in your ability to stand straight for long periods of time.
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Consciously Sit and Stand Straight
Before you can improve your posture, you first need to recognize you have a problem. Start now by paying attention to the position of your shoulders when you sit and stand. Pull your shoulders and head back and tighten your core to provide the support your back needs. Start out by focusing on good posture for just 10 minutes at a time, then slowly increase the time until you’re maintaining good posture most of the day.
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Lift Your Electronic Devices Up
Did you know there is a physical condition called “Text Neck” that is caused by tilting your head down to gaze at your cell phone or other electronic devices? Holding your devices too low can lead to poor posture and chronic headaches. Keep this from happening by simply raising your devices to eye level when you use them.
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Wear Flats
Heels can be fun to wear on occasion, but they put your body in an unnatural position and can negatively affect posture. It’s best to wear heels only on special occasions and opt for flats the rest of the time. Flat shoes with good arch support are not only more comfortable for your feet, but are better for your posture as well.
In addition to these helpful tips, there are also posture-correcting devices that may keep you from slouching. Good posture doesn’t happen overnight, but these tips will slowly help you build up your core strength so slouching becomes a thing of the past.
