| It is amazing how few people realize how much a | | | | excuses to stand and walk around. For example, |
| good posture can improve their quality of life. | | | | if most of your work is done sitting behind a |
| If your goal is to maintain a healthy weight and | | | | desk, try standing up when you talk on the phone |
| avoid experiencing pain in your later years, | | | | (standing while on the phone actually improves the |
| monitoring and working on improving your posture | | | | sound of your voice by ensuring the airways |
| earlier on is a must. | | | | from your diaphragm are clear). |
| The benefits of a good Posture: | | | | Other excuses to vary your position include |
| Among other things, an improved posture can:o | | | | getting up and walking to the kitchen or water |
| help you get more out of your chosen sport or | | | | cooler for a glass of water every half an hour or |
| exerciseso make you look and feel healthier and | | | | so and standing up to stretch every 45 minutes |
| youngero help improve your breathingo help you | | | | while you're watching TV. Whenever possible, go |
| become stronger and more confidento decrease | | | | for a short stroll around the block or around your |
| the risk of injuryo prevent strain on your | | | | neighbourhood during morning tea, afternoon tea |
| muscles, nerves and joints | | | | or your lunch break. |
| Signs of poor Posture: | | | | 4. Strengthen your Hips. |
| Bad posture usually results from poor habits | | | | Misalignment in our pelvis and lower back can |
| repeated over a lifetime. Unfortunately, many of | | | | often be caused by weak or inflexible hip muscles. |
| us don't even consider, let alone analyze our | | | | Include exercises in your workouts that stretch |
| posture until we experience restricted movement | | | | and strengthen you hip flexor, extensors, |
| or pain caused by poor posture. | | | | abductors, adductors and rotators muscles. |
| If you want to do a basic self-assessment of | | | | Any good gym instructor or personal trainer will |
| your posture, look for one or more of these | | | | be able to tell you which exercises and stretches |
| typical signs of poor posture:o rounded backo | | | | to include in your workout and show you how to |
| drooping chest and shoulderso head protruding | | | | do them correctly. |
| forwardo tilted pelvis and hipso collapsed arches in | | | | 5. Strengthen your Abdominals. |
| your feeto an elevated hip or shouldero body | | | | Learn the appropriate abdominal strengthening |
| rotation | | | | exercises to train your abdominals to hold your |
| For a more accurate and professional assessment | | | | pelvis in neutral alignment. Try doing some |
| you should visit one of the many specialists who | | | | stabilization work using a Swiss Ball in addition to |
| deal with diagnosing and rehabilitating posture | | | | more traditional abdominal exercises like crunches |
| related problems such as your chiropractor, | | | | and knee raises. |
| physiotherapist, remedial masseur, osteopath or | | | | Again, if you are new to exercise or have never |
| personal trainer. | | | | been taught how to use a Swiss Ball before, seek |
| Causes of poor Posture: | | | | the expertise of a gym instructor or good |
| All of the problems listed above are potential | | | | personal trainer. |
| indicators that your body has habitual irregular | | | | 6. Stretch and strengthen your Back. |
| movement patterns. | | | | Learn how to correctly perform lower back |
| The reasons for these irregular movement | | | | stretches and strengthening exercises. You can |
| patterns can be wide and varied but typically | | | | perform most stretches anywhere at any time. |
| include things like:o poor ergonomics, particularly | | | | Lower back stretches are often great at helping |
| relating to sleeping, sitting or standing habitso | | | | to minimize or eliminate debilitating back pain. |
| muscle and/or skeletal imbalanceo untreated | | | | Lower back strengthening exercises will ensure |
| undiagnosed injury compensationo poor or | | | | that your lower back muscles are strong and |
| inappropriate techniques used during exercise and | | | | balanced with your abdominal muscles. |
| sport | | | | 7. Strengthen your upper Body. |
| Improving your Posture: | | | | Incorporate exercises into your workouts that |
| Improving your posture is possible once the | | | | help strengthen your shoulders, upper back, chest |
| causes of your "symptoms" have been identified. | | | | and arm muscles. Remember one of your goals |
| Typically, improving your posture means | | | | should be muscle balance so don't focus to heavily |
| improving or changing your habits, some of which | | | | on one particular muscle group and vary your |
| you can do all by yourself, others you should | | | | exercises regularly to achieve balance and |
| consider getting help for. | | | | continually challenge your muscles. |
| If you want to feel and look better, become | | | | 8. Vary your exercise program. |
| fitter and stronger, lose weight or become and | | | | Try Yoga, Tai Chi or Pilates and consider including |
| stay pain free into your later years try some or | | | | at least one of these in your regular exercise |
| all of the following tips to improving or maintaining | | | | program. These styles of exercise emphasize |
| your posture. | | | | alignment and controlled movement of the spine, |
| 1. Find your neutral Alignment. | | | | which can greatly improve your posture. |
| Your personal trainer or any of the other | | | | 9. Use Imagery. |
| practitioners detailed above should be able to help | | | | Visualize yourself as a giant gum tree reaching |
| you understand and recognize what a neutral | | | | towards the sky; or imagine yourself growing |
| alignment looks and feels like. Generally speaking, | | | | taller as you stretch your arms above your head. |
| neutral alignment is where your spine is in its | | | | Walk tall; concentrating on your posture and |
| strongest position and is able to deal with external | | | | imagining yourself moving in perfect alignment. |
| stresses and strains. | | | | 10. Seek advice from Specialists. |
| Understanding what your neutral alignment is and | | | | Postural problems left untreated can have a |
| how to move into it while sitting, standing and | | | | negative impact on your health and reduce your |
| moving will greatly improve your posture. | | | | quality of life. In addition to your personal trainer, |
| 2. Check your posture Constantly. | | | | you may want to consult with a podiatrist, an |
| Try to get into the habit of checking your | | | | orthopedic specialist, a physiotherapist or a |
| posture throughout the day. Using reminders like | | | | chiropractor. |
| setting the alarm on your phone or watch to alert | | | | Remember, the sooner you get help and start to |
| you every hour to check your posture will help | | | | address the underlying causes of poor posture |
| you to form this habit. Another way to remind | | | | the more easily it will be for you to change your |
| yourself is to use post-it note on your computer | | | | daily habits and the better your chance of |
| screen or in your car. | | | | improving your posture so you can avoid other |
| 3. Vary your position Often. | | | | problems and pain later on. |
| If you sit down a lot during the day, look for | | | | |