Sitting is the new smoking, or so they say! We don’t actually have any proof of this. However, we do know that prolonged sitting, as well as heavy school bags and spending too much time on devices, certainly impacts our posture in a negative way. These activities may be unavoidable at times, but there are different postural exercises that can help negate the negative impact of these activities on your body.

Maintaining good posture is crucial for overall health

One of the most common postural imbalances is a forward head posture with rounded shoulders. This generally occurs from prolonged sitting, and contributes to a loss of the normal curve in your neck. When this occurs, it can result in neck and shoulder pain, headaches, and jaw problems. It also causes muscle imbalances, decreased mobility and degeneration in the joints of your spine.

There are a number of things that you can do to correct or maintain good posture, such as regular exercise, daily walks, yoga, pilates and stretching. Getting up from your desk every 30-45 minutes also helps your postural muscles reset so that you can maintain better posture throughout your day. And the following five exercises can help improve your posture to relieve your aches and pains.

1. Chin Tucks

• Sit or stand with your spine straight.

• Gently tuck your chin towards your chest, creating a ‘double chin’ whilst maintaining a neutral spine.

• Hold for 5 seconds, relax for 5 seconds, and repeat 10 times.

• Benefits: strengthens neck muscles and improves alignment.

2. Doorway Stretch

• Position your shoulders and elbows at 90 degrees against a doorway.

• Step through the doorway until you feel a gentle stretch in your pectoral muscles.

• Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

• Benefits: stretches the pectoral muscles and releases shoulder tension.

3. Cat-Cow Stretch

• Start on your hands and knees shoulder width apart.

• Inhale deeply and arch your back, holding for 2 seconds (cow pose).

• Exhale deeply and round your back, holding for 2 seconds (cat pose).

• Repeat 10 times.

• Benefits: increases spinal flexibility and reduces back tension.

4. Plank

• Lie face down and lift your body onto your forearms and toes.

• Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels by engaging your core muscles.

• Hold for 30 seconds at a time and repeat 3 times.

• As you get stronger, you can hold the plank position for longer.

• Benefits: strengthens core muscles and supports better posture.

5. Half Cobra Pose

• Lie on your stomach and prop yourself up on your elbows whilst keeping your hips and legs on the floor.

• Hold this position for 10-15 seconds before returning to the floor.

• Repeat 10 times.

• Benefits: stretches the lower back and reverses the rounded shoulder posture.

Other benefits of good posture

Maintaining good posture not only helps to maintain the normal curves of the spine, but crucially, it allows your nervous system to function at a much higher level. This can promote better digestion, immune function, hormone balance, sleep and overall health and vitality.

As we age, it is even more important to maintain the correct posture to support your mobility, agility and flexibility, as well as your muscle tone and overall strength.

Chiropractic care is vital for good posture

Chiropractic adjustments are crucial when it comes to improving nervous system function and supporting good posture. Not only do they help improve joint motion and reduce muscle tension, they also help to reduce inflammation, improve blood flow and support healthy organ function.

Regular chiropractic adjustments, consistency with postural exercises, a healthy diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, and nutritional supplementation can help to support and enhance your posture, adding years of quality to your life.

A final word of advice…

Throughout my career, the one bit of advice that I hear the most from my patients, especially my elderly patients, is to…

“Look after your body, as you only get one chance.”