Seven simple rules to follow for healthy posture!

A long day at the office behind a desk or lengthy commute behind the wheel of a car can limit our abilities to maintain healthy posture. Follow these seven simple rules to be taller, stronger and more confident with healthy posture:

#1 Align Head

Our head is quite heavy, and when misaligned it can cause all sorts of problems. It often causes forward head posture because of sitting hunched over a computer for hours per day; as a result, it tightens muscles in the back of the neck.

Healthy Posture: Maintain good posture by sitting upright with good lumbar support from your chair, and keep your head appropriately aligned with practice and retraining of the muscles.

#2 Stretch Your Shoulder

Lack of shoulder stretch may cause hunched desk posture. It leads to tightened chest muscles, which internally rotate your shoulders forward out of natural alignment.

Healthy Posture: Stretch your shoulders regularly to relax tightened muscles. Choose a desk chair that supports your weight evenly and provides support for your back.

#3 Look Up!

Spending all day seated, especially if you have to frequently twist and turn your neck to look at documents, talk on the mobile phone, see your computer screen, etc. It leads to strain and fatigue on your neck.

Healthy Posture: Keep your monitor centered in front of your body to avoid neck strain, use a chair that helps you keep proper hip and spine alignment, and take typing lessons (so you don’t have to look down!)

#4 Don’t Slouch

Lumbering over a computer all day tightens your chest muscles, which can lead to over-curvature of the spine and weak muscles in your upper back.

Healthy Posture: Massage and stretch affected muscles while retraining good posture habits. Keep your computer at eye level and use a chair that distributes weight properly.

#5 Exercise and Stretch

Sitting without breaks to walk and stretch lead to shortened hip flexor muscles, which pull the tilt of your hips forward.

Healthy Posture: Exercise and stretch your hips, glutes, and hamstrings. Ensure that thighs are parallel to the floor and your chair supports your torso’s weight.

6# Keep Wrists Flat

Wrist pain can come from a variety of causes, including poor posture and poor design of the work area. A poor attitude can negatively impact hand and wrist muscles.

Healthy Posture: Maintain a flat keyboard surface and keep your wrists above the keyboard when you type like you’re playing the piano.

#7 Sit Upright & Move Feet

Crossing your legs at your desk can lead to poor circulation and misaligned posture. Crossed legs put pressure on the hips and spine, leading to poor posture.

Healthy Posture: Sip upright with your feet on a flat surface such as the floor or a stable footrest, and move feet frequently to increase blood flow.