Good posture will do a lot more than make you look good. It’s the key to keeping your body in balance physically, as well as improving your balance and preventing long-term injuries. Standing sitting up tall can also boost your mood, your mental wellbeing and your ability to fight off ill health.
Many people, when focusing on trying to improve their posture, only think about their static posture, which is how they are aligned when they are still – sitting, standing or lying down. Dynamic posture is just as important. This is how you are aligned when you are moving – including bending over to pick something up off the floor.
It’s important to ensure that you are considering your posture throughout the day and taking steps to improve it all the time.
Follow The 90 Degree Sitting Rule
If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or sitting in general during the day, you need to pay special attention to how the space is set up. Everything in your body should be at 90 degrees to each other but you should be looking directly ahead.
If you’re working at a desk on a computer, your feet should be on the ground with your knees bent at 90 degrees and the same for your hips. Your back should be properly supported. Then, your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees with your keyboard and mouse directly in front of you. Your computer screen should be raised so that it is in line with your face, and you don’t have to look down at it while you work.
Stay Active Throughout The Day
Most jobs in the modern world require us to spend a lot of time sitting or standing in one place. It’s critical for your posture to move around from time to time. Set a reminder for yourself to get up and take little walks around the office or wherever you are every hour or couple of hours. Activity tracker watches are great for this kind of thing.
Stretch Regularly
Undoing years of sitting and having fun at online casinos in Dubai, and of standing in the wrong position will take some time to work. Stretches like Child’s Pose, Cat Cow and Downward-Facing Dog will help to loosen tight muscles so that the right ones can start working on your posture. Try to do these stretches every morning when you get up. You can also do them throughout the day if you’re struggling with neck or back pain.
Strengthen Your Back Muscles
The next step is to get the right muscles strong so that they do the work to hold your body in the right position. Planking (high plank, side plank and elbow plank) will work your core muscles nicely and show your body the natural position that your back should be held in.
Isometric rows, chest expansions and push ups will help to open up your chest and push your shoulders into the correct position. They’ll also help to strengthen your neck and shoulders so that you don’t slouch.