How to Fix Bad Posture

The long hours in the office can take a toll on your health especially, the physical appearance of your body can be greatly affected by the posture you hold. There are many reasons why people develop bad postures. One of the most common reasons for a bad posture is an incorrect way of sitting, standing, sleeping, or walking. The other rare reason is, vertebral abnormalities that cause severe posture problems and call for more drastic measures and medical attention. But, mild posture problems that majority suffers from can be rectified and prevented by following some posture exercises and by inculcating some healthy habits. Before, you know how to fix bad posture, it is a must to know the effects and symptoms of the same. To know about them, read further...

Bad Posture Symptoms

Symptoms of bad body posture can be classified in to three main categories, namely, visible symptoms, painful symptoms, and related symptoms etc. Some of the visible symptoms that result from slouching include, tilting head forward, arching the upper and/or lower back, that looks like a hunch back. In people who have an extra upright posture, the symptoms include, shoulder blades pulled back, arched lower back, locked knees, and holding head behind, that is not in sync with gravity. Apart from this, there are many other visible symptoms, such as wearing of one shoe or wearing of clothes at a specific area etc.

Painful symptoms can include, upper back or lower back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, etc. It also includes, arm pain, leg pain, ankle pain, joint pain, and hips pain, etc. The related symptoms refer to bad posture caused due to physical abnormalities that need chiropractic attention. Some other general symptoms can include, headache, fatigue, or even breathing problems.

Effects of Bad Posture

Some of the effects of bad posture are irreversible and hence it is always better to maintain a good body posture. Given below are some of the ill effects of holding poor body posture for longer that you must know before i tell you how to improve posture.

Change in Bone Structure: A gradual bad posture can damage the shape of your bone. Due to continuous pressure on the wrong bone, it may alter its shape and may lose the effectiveness and strength.

Strain on Muscles and Veins: A bad posture can also take a toll on the muscles and veins inside the body. The muscles may get strained or become stiff due to excessive pressure that is caused by the wrong posture. Sometimes the affected bones too cause damage to surrounding muscles and veins pressing and weakening them.

High Blood Pressure: According to many research studies, a bad posture is also responsible for increasing the blood pressure. A slight neck muscle injury can also affect the blood pressure and heart rate of a person. And the neck muscle injury can be caused by a bad posture.

Headache: Yes, a poor body posture can cause tension headaches. When your body is overstressed due to bad posture, a certain tension develops in the body that moves to your head causing tension headaches that are very discomforting.

Other Ill Effects: Some of the other ill effects also include herniated discs, spinal cord problems, and bone spurs, etc, that are very painful and need immediate medical attention. Apart from this, a steady bad posture can cause permanent fixture in your physical appearance that may result in poor self image in future.

Bad Posture Exercises

Now, I am sure you want to know how to correct bad postures, then read further. Given below are some of the exercises that would answer your question, how to fix bad posture.

Yoga: Yoga is one of the best ways that can help you in correcting posture. Yoga exercises make muscles more flexible and help bones hold their natural shape and form. Yoga also helps in relieving back pain, neck pain, and overall body pain by relaxing muscles and eliminating muscle pain. It can act as a preventive as well curative measure and is one of the complete bad posture exercises.

Sitting While Standing: It is one of the best exercises to improve your posture. It is somewhat similar to squatting where your head and back should be touching the wall and knees and ankles are pitched forward as if you are assuming a sitting position. Now move the body upwards and downwards without locking the knees. This exercise improves the back and torso posture.

Arm Lifts: There are many hand lifts you can perform to get the correct posture. Lifting arms just above the shoulder line while palms face the floor and again bringing them down just below the shoulder line is a good exercise for shoulder and hands. You can do twenty five reps everyday. Similarly, lift your hands while palms facing the back and push your hands backwards and bring them back.

Leg Lifts: Leg lifts will improve your walking and standing posture. One of the simple leg lift can be performed in the following manner. Sleep on the floor facing the ceiling. Lift alternate legs up to three to four inches above the floor and hold each of the legs up for five seconds. Similarly, lie on your stomach and perform the same lift backwards.

Neck and Ankle Tilts: If you wish to posture your neck properly, then this exercise would help you. Tilt your head upwards, backwards, and sidewards slowly. Make sure that you do not rotate your head as it can cause further damage to the neck muscles. Similarly, lift your leg, bend your foot, including toes, upwards and downwards. It would relax the leg muscles, resulting in good leg posture.

Stretches: Stretching is also one of the most effective exercises to improve posture. You can perform many stretching exercises including, hand, legs, shoulder, back and overall body stretches. Stretches can relax the muscles and make them more flexible that reduce the impact of bad posture. You can also take the help of ergonomics and posture corrective braces that provide you with proper body support and improve the body posture.

Tips on Bad Posture Correction

• Avoid slouching and leaning while sitting.
• Keep the shoulders aligned with the rest of the body.
• Avoid locking your knees while walking, running, and standing.
• Keep feet slightly apart, say shoulder width, while standing.
• Always stand straight and tall without hunching the back or locking knees.
• Tuck in the chin slightly for holding the head upright.
• Always make sure that you stand with more weight on the balls on the feet and not on the heels.
• Make sure to get a proper back support while driving a car.
• Always wear clothes and shoes that provide you with comfort and support which can aid better posture correction.

Now, you know how to fix bad posture. The first step towards improving poor posture is recognizing it and trying to alter it with the right one immediately. Maintaining a good posture is a habit that you have to get accustomed to slowly. Being conscious of your posture can save you from damages that can be caused by a bad posture. I hope this information on how to fix bad posture was resourceful for you.