I have finally decided to tackle my bad posture and since I am 35 and have suffered/tolerated this until now I know it will not be easy....
Does anyone have any suggestions for a simple and short excercise routine I could do daily?
My main issue is with slouching and rounded shoulders....
Thanks for any help
K
To share my experience.
I have had that "bad posture" for many years too.
Too much sitting in front of tele, computer, etc etc.
The main culprit is usually lack of exercise and the right set of muscles (ok ok i am not a body expert).
What I did was this: take up tennis.
You can take up any other regular sports too. It should move your whole body for at least 30-60mins per week. 2 times per week is even better.
The main important muscle groups are: frontal torso muscles (those 6-packs area).
The other is the lateral side muscles near the front and also back and lastly the back muscles.
But if you firm up one set the others will follow.
Just keep up the regular exercise, say tennis, badminton, running, gym etc.
And miraculously, your posture will improve, your aches should reduce or become zero. You will have added benefit of looking fresher, younger, and fit into tighter cloths...
You can post your opinion and experience and other wise and matured people will see that you are helping.
If some users slam you, it just shows how shallow they are. (I could be one, but I am not an idiot when I read genuine help)
But one thing I did just find to provide immediate help is to change my computer/desk chair. For whatever reason, the one I had been using was causing me to slouch and lean forward. So I "stole" my husband's chair and realized that it forces me to sit upright. And just after a few days, I've already noticed that my posture has improved -- even just when I'm sitting on the sofa.
I've been told that those large exercise balls are really good to use as a computer desk chair because you have to sit upright in them or else you'll fall over. So they help you maintain your posture. I haven't tried one yet though because, of course, they're really expensive here in CH.
P.S. You may want to check your upper back for what is called an "upper thoracic hump" -- a bump at the base of the back of your neck that develops from leaning forward (e.g. in a computer chair). A friend recently pointed out to me that I'm starting to develop one. Yikes. So this is also why I'm really trying to focus on better posture. I think I may even go to a chiropractor.
Good luck!
ok here goes....
Posture can be easily corected most of the time, it just takes constant reminders to your body until your muscles develop "muscle memory"
Mainly, when you are walking, sitting or just generally moving around make sure you are hold your stomach in, this will automatically cause you to stand/sit up straighter (not completely, but a bit), now do a big shoulder roll backwards and situate your shoulders down and back and i neutral position that's not painful but at first will probably feel a bit uncomfortable (that's completely normal for people with rounded shoulders), once you've done these two, really think about how your mid section is positioned, and now lift yourself up from the waist so that you grow about an inch!
If you can make yourself do this as part of your daily routine that it soon becomes automatic to your body, your posture will dramatically improve in no time!
Exercise wise, if your shoulders are rounded its means the muscles on the top of your back around your shoulders have lengthened and are weak, and the muscles in your chest and become shorter and tighter, do some exercises to strengthen up your back and always make sure to stretch out your pecs.
This is my opinion and what i have learned in experience, and i have had people i have trained do these things and the change in them was amazing!!
Good Luck with whatever you do to improve your posture and fair play for asking on what to do!
in the meantime, a simple something- every little while, when you can take a breath, roll your shoulders up to your ears and then down your back. you'll feel your back straighten, your spine align and it'll feel good...
I actually play too much tennis now, and sit too much at office (stiff neck).
I have bought a supplementary health insurance that pays 100chf each hour after the first 600chf (self pay).
I am not saying this is the solution, but surely a regular massage helps?
Am fairly active already (running+fitness classes about 2-3 times a week, biking, biking with kids trailer, hiking etc) it is just the back I need help with.
Am taking notes of the suggestions and will be building those in my daily mornign and evening routines.
Ciao
K
1) Bend your head forward so that you're looking at your (.)(.)s
2) Roll your shoulders backwards a few times and then roll them forward a few times.
This helps me because I tend to be so tight in my neck/shoulders (from the computer) that sometimes I feel like I'm sitting with my shoulders up next to my ears. So this helps loosen me up.
if you are office workers, look to YOGA... hahahaha, i'm biased but i have a far amount of students who i see at their place of work and there are some really easy, quick things you can do at your desk or in your work space every little while to combat the posture and stress of office work and sitting...
one piece of advice- set your phone to an alarm that goes off every hour or two and do the shoulder rolls and some twists, stretches and breathing. 3-5 minutes every couple of hours make a huge difference!
*for running and fitness, make sure to stretch and stretch deeply- it will combat the tightening of the muscles and check your posture during those activities, if you are doing repetitive activities with a poor alignment your back, shoulders and neck will take the brunt of the force. especially for women make sure you're not compressing in your lower back- important to always keep your spine straight and long through your neck, up to your skull...
If you find yourself doing that a lot see if you can get a headset to use with your phone.
If you spend a lot of time at a desk consider getting a wobble cushion for a chair, basically it forces you continually adjust your balance and strengthen your core muscles which is a good thing for improving posture.
Try lying on a hard floor for a while, and letting the back and shoulders settle to the floor. If required a small cushion for the head can be used.
My own back problem was easily solved - I just had to stop buy fresh bacon from a traditional English butchers.
"Lean back(?)"
I want some.
It's preferable to share laughter in the company of others, of course.
It's how I attend to the matter although if you're ugly like me it won't make any difference. Such is life, so you may as well laugh about it.
Alternatively, if info on the interwebs seems suspect, the following helps tremedously and is free!
Would really like to know!!