In a Slump? Rethink Your Posture
By Sandy Schroeder
We all remember being told to stand up straight, and when we did we felt better and looked slimmer. That advice still holds true and here are some tips from MindBodyGreen.com to get out of a slump and into the best posture you have ever had.
Start With a Checkup
Look around. Most of us are slumped over our phones or computer screens and still slumping when we stand up. If you think your posture is OK, get a friend to snap a few shots of you sitting and standing. If the slump is obvious, it may be time to get to work before it leads to headaches, neck and shoulder pain, or knots in your back.
Here's What to Do
Take a few steps to make good posture easy.
Start With Your Core
Tension starts in the shoulders and the neck, but you should send it to your core. Your core supports your entire back. When it's strong it's easier to straighten up as you bring the shoulders down and back. When you feel tense and your shoulders lift up to your ears, work on your core as you straighten up.
Add a Little Yoga
If you are a yoga fan, you know yoga helps with everything including posture. Concentrate on your core and use the bridge, bow and full wheel pose to open up your upper back. Also use yoga props like blankets and blocks to improve your posture in class.
Lose Those Knots With Massage
As muscles relax, tension and pain may lift and your body will loosen up helping you move more naturally and straighten up with less effort. Chiropractic treatment, massage and yoga can all work together to make posture a natural habit.
Work On Chest Muscles
Work on opening your pectoral muscles to get the final posture boost. Experts say as little as two minutes a day of pec exercise will make posture a lot easier.
Use This Puppy Pose
This yoga pose is a deep backbend that opens up the chest and stretches all of the parts of the body that posture depends on. Warm up with other gentle poses such as cat and cow first.
Start on mat on hands on knees. Bring knees together as you move fingers forward and lower chest to the mat.
Lift hips high up opening the chest and bending the back. Hold for a few breaths and move on to another yoga pose. (If the pose is a struggle for you, use a block for your forehead and a rolled up blanket for your knees.)
Ready to stand up straight? Let chiropractic help at The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you. Learn about the personal healthcare packages that eliminate the hassle of insurance. Walk-ins are welcome.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in San Antonio, Tex.