How much of your time each day is spent looking down at a computer or desk with poor posture? The information age has created an epidemic of forward head posture and hunchbacks. We sit or stand hunched over electronic devises day after day, causing spinal damage and other common musculoskeletal complaints such as:
- Pinched nerves
- Cervical herniated disc
- Stenosis
- Myofascial pain
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Carpel tunnel
- Radial tunnel
- Shoulder pain
Maintaining these (painful) postures for extended periods of time causes your neck to become stiff and tight. It’s vitally important to learn specific therapeutic exercises you can do to “undo what the day has done to you.” Since we spend most of our day looking down, reversing your posture and looking up can be like therapy. The best part is exercises that correct posture are easy and don’t require you to got to a gym or don shorts. They can easily be performed at your desk. Your coworkers won’t even know what you are doing!
Watch the video below to learn how to reverse bad neck posture.
Poor posture is not only a cause of musculoskeletal pain but also contributes to:
- Poor digestion- with poor thoracic posture our internal organs become cramped preventing digestive motility.
- Low energy- poor posture causes shallow breathing thus taking in less vital oxygen.
- Poor mood- poor posture reflects your outlook on life! If rounded over you are more likely to be depressed.
- Poor circulation- rounded postures cause joints to narrow constricting blood vessels.
When sitting, try to sit up tall, as tall as possible. Your chin should be tucked and back and your shoulders should not be rounded forward. Try standing and moving once every hour for at least 5 minutes. Stand and do some gentle stretching at you desk.
To learn more about how to alleviate neck and back pain as well as improve you posture visit us at www.premierptny.com.
To perfecting your posture!
Joe Tatta, DPT
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