Tips for Good Posture that can Help Reduce Pain
Be mindful of your posture! Most of the injuries and pain I treat each day have a posture component as their root cause. Neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain are typically impacted by poor posture. Practicing good posture can help reduce the pain you feel in these areas.
Posture is important at all times, INCLUDING rest and relaxation time. Most people want to blame work or exercise when they start to have pain. I know (from personal experience) that it’s possible to develop neck pain from watching a movie if you are sitting with bad posture.
Adjusting Your Posture
A simple way to adjust your body into a better posture is to imagine a string attached to the top of your head, towards the back. That string is being pulled gently up towards the sky. The pull of the string lifts your chest, which will align your lower back, shoulders and head/neck. You should feel taller and comfortable and be breathing easily. If you feel strained or tensed, you are over correcting your posture. Soften everything just a bit, and you are there.
Check and Correct
Check and correct your posture during different times of your day; when you are eating, working, happy, stressed, driving, exercising, liking posts on the Performance Facebook page, enjoying your hobbies and when you are relaxing. This sounds like a lot, but it only takes a second or two. The trick is to check in with your posture often but not to become obsessed with it to the point that it consumes your life.
Be Kind to Yourself
And lastly, be kind to yourself. Nobody has perfect posture all the time. If you know your posture needs work, start working on it gradually. It will take time, but it will get better.
If you feel you need the help of an expert to improve your posture, schedule an appointment with a physical therapist at Performance Therapies.
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