Firstly – while you read this on your computer or smart phone – think about how you are sitting. You’re probably slouching – don’t worry we all do it. The first step to improving your posture is having awareness of it in the first place.
Our bodies are strong and robust structures that are made to move. Poor static postures can have detrimental effects on many of the systems in your body. It is important to keep our bodies moving!
Now there is no such thing as the “perfect” posture however certain postures can cause extra stress on our joints, ligaments and intervertebral discs. The real problem starts to occur when we are in these certain postures for a prolonged amount of time ie. when sitting at your desk for 8 hours a day.
there is no such thing as the “perfect” posture
To put it simply – we can group the muscles in our body into two groups…
- Small postural muscles that work to stabilize our joints
- Big moving muscles that work to produce movement
Both groups of muscles are usually working together for us to function efficiently.
If you are concerned about your posture – then try these 5 simple tips
5 tips to get you moving
- Get moving! Try to get up from your seated position every 30 minutes or so.
- Have a chair that has good back support.
- Think tall – imagine you have a string at the top of your head, which is gently pulling you up towards the sky. It’s important to be subtle in your posture correction, as we don’t want to cause muscles to work harder than they have to!
- Try to break up repetitive tasks throughout your day – this will ensure you are changing your posture regularly.
- Ensure your workstation is set up in an optimal position for you – you can get some great tips on how to do so from this blog.
Posture is a habitual thing – the more often you think about it and make small adjustments to correct it the more it becomes natural for you.
If you think you are suffering from postural related pain or you find you are becoming uncomfortable when sitting at your desk then come and see one of our physiotherapists who can perform a postural assessment and give you some simple exercises to correct any poor habits you may have.
