Correcting your posture: why and how?

Why correct your posture? 

A simple backache is reason enough to immediately think about correcting your posture. It may be the manifestation of a much deeper problem. 

To avoid muscle imbalances

Back pain can occur due to misalignment of your spine, the direct consequence being a deep muscle imbalance. While this usually manifests as sharp pain in the spine, it can have more serious consequences, in this case triggering other imbalances throughout your body.

By having poor posture, you specifically stretch certain muscles in the body. A domino effect follows, in which the stretched muscles exert excessive pressure on other parts of the body. Gradually, several imbalances are settling in which modify your general posture. 

To improve oxygen supply

Poor posture also has a huge impact on the body’s oxygen supply. This is a very little known and yet very serious consequence that causes a significant drop in your energy. The indirect consequence is a weight gain which will, in turn, have the effect of accentuating the pain. 

To have a more aesthetic posture

Slumped shoulders and rounded backs are, among other things, consequences of the imbalance caused by poor posture. In addition to affecting the spine and weakening it, it is still very unsightly. 

In this case, what to do? 

How to correct your posture? 

The solutions to correct your posture adapt mainly to the causes that are at the origin. However, in general, they can apply to everyone. 

Keep your back straight while seated

Some will say that you have to opt for ergonomic chairs. You should still know that they are only effective when you learn to keep a straight back, while your shoulders are back, your chest is rounded and your belly is tucked in. 

Be sure to keep your gaze straight ahead and not down so as not to cause neck strain. Both of your feet should be flat, parallel to the floor and not crossed. This allows you to evenly distribute your weight.

Practice at work and especially in everyday life where you don’t necessarily have access to ergonomic chairs. In time, you may even be able to do without it. 

Avoid prolonged sitting

Prolonged sitting is one of the primary causes of poor posture. Unfortunately, this is what most jobs require today. Therefore, the question is how to avoid it when you are forced to do so for ¾ of the day. 

Get into the habit of getting up and walking at least once every hour. It’s even easier if your work can be done while standing. At best, treat yourself to a sit-stand desk. 

Do not hesitate to practice stretching while you walk to relax your muscles. The areas to focus on are the back, hips, quadriceps, pectorals and calves. 

Practice ideal exercises to correct posture

Doing posture correction exercises regularly can completely change your life. These are essentially muscle-strengthening exercises such as pilates and yoga. To straighten your shoulders, push your torso, and tighten your shoulder blades, go for the arch up, reverse plank, or pull-ups.

Why not get help from an accessory?

Respecting all these rules certainly helps to maintain good posture, but there is also a very practical way, which is all the rage right now. This is the posture corrector or back straightener. This accessory, which is worn like a backpack, has straps that wrap around your shoulders on each side. When you pull the straps tight and secure, the back straightener pulls your shoulders back, aligns your spine, and forces you to maintain good posture. The action of the accessory is instantaneous and you are relieved of possible pain caused by your bad posture.

When you use the posture corrector for a while, it forces you to straighten up even when you are not wearing it. You will now have much more self-confidence because you will be able to stand perfectly straight. In short, there are several ways to correct your posture. While they are very effective, it takes time for the results to show . Be patient with yourselves.