Ways to improve your posture

​Many of us have received numerous reminders about our poor posture. Although a few of us make active efforts to improve our posture for a better quality of life, it's not usually our top priority. Our focus is often occupied by family, friends, and work. Having spent years in this field, we empathise with your discomfort and are ready to delve into the most effective approaches for rectifying poor posture

Surround Yourself With Reminders
If you work in a corporate setting and spend most of your day sitting at a desk, you may have noticed that your posture tends to deteriorate as the day progresses. To address this, you can set up regular reminders on your calendar or place a sticky note with the word "posture" on your desk. These cues will serve as frequent reminders to actively work on improving your posture.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight and Utilising Chair Support
In addition to reminders, it's important to keep your back pain-free, which includes maintaining a healthy weight. Excess weight can contribute to issues with the pelvis and spine, weakening your core muscles and promoting muscle degeneration.
Always make use of the back support provided by your chair, ensuring that your ears, shoulders, and hips are properly aligned. It's also advisable to take regular breaks and move around every 45 minutes. Incorporating stretching exercises and short walks into your routine can be beneficial. Consistently working on your posture throughout the day can alleviate aches, reduce lingering soreness, and improve your overall physical and mental health.

Implement Wall Checks for Daily Posture Improvement
 A simple technique to steadily improve your posture is by conducting wall checks throughout the day. You can easily perform this task on your own. Find a wall to stand against and touch your heels to the bottom of the wall. If your heels, buttocks, upper back, and the back of your head all touch the wall simultaneously, your posture is aligned correctly. If any of these points don't touch the wall simultaneously, you need to take steps to adjust your posture. Remain pressed against the wall and make adjustments until each of these body parts touches the wall. Then, walk away from the wall while maintaining that posture, followed by a slight slump. This allows your body to maintain some familiar positioning while still promoting a healthy posture that enhances your overall well-being.

Utilize a Posture Brace
To assist in correcting your posture, you can employ a posture brace, whether it's an actual brace or a homemade one. If you struggle with remembering to correct your posture when it slips, a brace can provide support without requiring constant awareness. A homemade brace could be as simple as using a large scarf, draping it around your neck, crossing it behind your back, and pulling the ends forward to retract your shoulders.

Pro tip: Only use the brace for short periods and primarily during the initial stages of your posture correction. Becoming overly reliant on the brace can weaken your back, neck, and shoulder muscles, as they start depending too much on the brace's support. The ultimate goal is for your muscles to become accustomed to the new posture position, eventually strengthening on their own.

Practice Healthy Sitting Habits
Back pain often arises from regular habits rather than a specific incident. Sitting for extended periods is a significant contributor, as it adds 40% more pressure on your spine compared to standing. Leaning excessively can weaken your muscles, while inactivity can accelerate muscle aging.

While good posture is encouraged, sitting up overly straight can reduce the natural compression of spinal discs, potentially leading to inadequate support and unwanted back pain.

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