Did your teacher berate you for slouching, and you just rolled your eyes? Were you often reprimanded for not sitting straight, and yet your back continued to curve?
Well, turns out, all the scolding was for a good reason. Having a good posture is not only important because deemed so by the society, but good posture is also important for your body as well.
Our spine helps in keeping us upright, alongside the muscles of the back. When we slouch, and not stand upright, we put a lot of stress on the spine and the muscles, that then get cramped. They also suffer from the danger of misalignment.
All these factors then compound, making back aches inevitable. Poor posture may also then affect your mobility. Similarly, people already suffering from osteoporosis aggravate their condition due to their poor posture, meriting a visit to the Orthopedic Surgeon then.
Therefore, it is vital that you work on improving your posture. Here are some tips to help you:
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Core strength
Core refers to your muscles of the back, that, alongside the spine, help in keeping you upright. One way to have good posture and get rid of the backaches introduced by having a strong core.
You can improve your core strength by doing targeted exercises. These help in making the muscles strong, and they thus get fatigued less quickly. Naturally, it then allows your muscles to bear your weight for longer and maintain a good posture for greater periods of time.
Some good core strengthening exercises include planks, pushups etc.
Written reminders
You might be dedicated to keeping your back upright, but after a minute, you body passes into the default curved-back zone, unbeknownst to your conscious mind. Written cues, on the other hand, can help you stay focused on keeping your posture correct.
Try to put post-its around your desk with cues like keep back straight, no hunching, look up at the screen etc. These prompts serve as a reminder to your brain, and eventually, your body will train itself to maintain a good posture itself, without these aides.
Use support
Try to give your back support when you are laying or sitting down, for to keep it straight. When you are in the seat, try to use lumbar pillows or even a cushion to keep the lower back upright, rather than hunched. Moreover, a pillow for supporting lower back can also help with curved back.
Stop twisting your spine
Another component of bad posture is twisting the spine. This puts a lot of pressure on the back and is especially a bad practice for those already suffering from osteoporosis.
Instead of twisting your spine, you should move your entire body instead. One easy trick to practice this is by remembering to keep your nose, knees and toes pointing in the same direction.
Strength training
Strength training refers to weight bearing exercises. These exercises help in gaining muscle mass, and with stronger muscles of the shoulder and the middle of the body, also comes improved posture.
Some helpful strength training exercise include lifting free weights, using weight machines etc.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics refers to optimizing workspaces for maximum comfort. Ergonomically designed furniture helps not just in improving efficiency, but also helps you sustain your health as you as you work. One excellent example is of having ergonomic desks and chairs.
Since most of us have desk jobs, that involve the use of screens, we often do not sit properly. We then have to hunch over our screens, in uncomfortable chairs. This poor posture then strains the back.
Ergonomically designed furniture involves desk and chair designs that fit your body, so that it is possible for you to always maintain good posture.
Moreover, it also helps in preventing work related injuries, that often jeopardize the health of the bones, requiring treatment from the Best Orthopedic Surgeon in Multan then.