How to fix your posture in 2023?
2023 is the year of thriving ahead with good health, which also means fixing your posture! We are here to help you how to fix your posture.
We want you to sit up and read till the end. Sit straight, back and neck fully aligned, with no slouching. Do you feel pain in your back or neck? The answer is; a bad posture.
And we have been told to maintain a good posture, work and read by sitting up straight since childhood. And it wasn’t a piece of formal advice given to us in the name of good mannerisms, and it was an essential tip that we should’ve taught throughout our life.
Why is it essential to fix your posture?
A good posture helps prevent back, shoulder, and neck pain, and it also makes it easier for you to breathe and digest your food. It is also essential to fix your posture as it helps maintain balance and flexibility. But don’t know of ways to fix your posture?
Lousy posture can restrict your movements and make physical functioning difficult. Moreover, it can also lead to activities requiring your body to put in more energy. It is owing to these reasons that doctors time and again stress the importance of fixing your posture.
While most view posture as an insignificant sitting or standing position, let us take you through some of the impacts of a bad posture. The effects of bad posture slowly develop and become visible in simple tasks like having trouble picking up your grocery bags or driving your car.
Neck and Backache
Bad posture increases the load on the spine, causing damage to the vertebral discs and muscles, leading to neck and back aches. It can also reduce bone mineral density and make you prone to vertebral fractures.
One of the most prevalent types of bad posture is known as the “text neck,” which indicates a constant strain on the spine of people looking down at their phones, laptops, or other devices. This can lead to neck pain and fatigue.
Shallow breathing
When you slouch while sitting, it negatively impacts your breathing. According to a study carried out in 2018 in Biomed Research International, the study observed the breathing force of 35 men wherein men who slouched had a lower breathing force than men who sat upright.
Yet another form of bad posture that affects your breathing is called the FHP (forward head posture).
Chronic Disability
Sometimes, a bad posture becomes a habit. Especially for people who do most of their work in front of computers. This can lead to chronic disability, according to one of the studies in the journal of Ergonomics.
The slumping and slouching can make your spine fragile and prone to injury. It can also form spinal deformities like thoracic kyphosis and cause individuals to lean forward.
Negative mood
A lousy posture affects your body and spirit. One of the studies found that people with anxiety and depression tended to have slumped postures. However, when asked to sit upright, they felt less anxious and less tired.
More so, the pain that results from a bad posture can also make a person grumpy. So sit upright and keep yourself healthy and happy.
Now that you know about the harmful impacts of an incorrect posture, it’s time to understand how to fix your posture in 2023.
You can begin with a posture trainer, back brace, or therapy if your posture is beyond saving. This includes consulting a spine surgeon with experience managing spine deformities.
You can also opt for the best posture-correcting devices that adhere to your back and emit gentle vibrations as your back slows. This makes you aware of your bad posture and results in improved posture over time. It is one of the ways to fix your posture and is a first-line treatment chosen by many.
You can choose the best posture-correcting clothing comprising posture-enhancing sports bras, shirts, and shoe insoles.
Apart from the best posture-correcting devices and the best posture-correcting clothing, here are some ways how to fix your posture:
Develop awareness about your posture
You will know what a correct or good posture feels like by simply standing with your back against a wall with your head, shoulder blades, rib cage, and sacrum aligned against it. Then, practice deep diaphragmatic breathing in this position to support your spine.
Correct yourself whenever you notice yourself slouching or feel the pressure building on your neck or spine. This will help you bring your spine to its natural position.
Adjust your working equipment correctly
If your desk job requires you to sit in front of a computer every day, adjust the desk and chairs as per your posture. For example, ensure that your computer screen is at your eye level and your chair is positioned, so your feet rest on the floor. Choose the best posture-correcting furniture for your home as well. You can also check best morning tips.
Hence, proper office ergonomics are the key to ensuring that your posture remains correct at work and otherwise. This will turn your questions regarding how to fix your posture into a healthy, improved pose.
Pay attention to your posture while sitting and standing
Keep your shoulders relaxed yet firm. Your abdomen should be pulled in, and your weight must be balanced on your feet placed hip-width apart. Don’t lean on one side, shifting all your weight to one side of the body.
While sitting, always be mindful of hunching or slouching, and sit upright immediately. This will fix your posture over time.
Tai Chi your bad posture away
It is a movement-based meditation cum self-defense which is exceptionally beneficial for your posture. And it comprises a series of poses performed in a slow sequence that emphasize proper alignment with gravity. As well as a unified sense of motion guided by your movement center.
Stretch regularly
One of the final tips on how to fix your posture is stretching regularly. Basic stretches such as the child’s pose and downward dog can help fix your posture in 2023. Stretching regularly will help increase your flexibility and improve your posture by reducing stress and body ache.
Moreover, our joints lose range of motion as we age, and an incorrect posture worsens it. This will be counteracted with regular stretching as one of the ways to fix your posture.
However, if you are diagnosed with spondylitis or the like, take the approval of your medical practitioner before engaging in stretching activities.
Practice deep breathing
Deep breathing is a way to develop physical awareness. Deep breathing inhalations draw pelvic muscles and abdominals upward, resulting in your shoulders backing up and down. It is a mindful way to become more aware of your posture and relax while fixing it.
In addition to the above, you must invest in the best posture-correcting furniture, such as ergonomic chairs and lumbar pillows. These are god-sent inventions that support your spine and fix your posture as well.
Additionally, on how to fix your posture, there are posture-correcting wearable devices available that connect to your mobile and constantly monitor your posture. Nothing wrong with using technology to a healthy advantage, isn’t it?
Summing Up
While a hunched posture might seem irreversible and often accepted by many after reaching a certain age, all of that will change in 2023. It’s the year of prioritizing your health, and it’s never too late to hop into the boat of posture fixation.
Incorporating these tips regularly allows you to stand up taller and avoid the long-term damage that is the by-product of an incorrect posture. And we hope this blog answers all your queries regarding how to fix your posture.