If you have ever groaned “Oh my back hurts like hell”, it could be your posture; the way you sit, stand, walk, sleep, or even how you bend down to pick something up. Your posture can define or ruin your personality. When it comes to looking good or dealing with muscle pain, most of us entirely overlook our posture. But what you might be wondering here is “Can I fix my posture?” Yes, gratefully. In fact, there are many ways of improving your posture at home.

Why is a good posture important?

A bad posture can lead you to severe health complications; from back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, increased blood pressure, respiratory problems to even trouble digesting food. Which is why you should be concerned about how to improve your posture.

Also, we are all beauty conscious. We spend a lot on clothes, shoes, and makeup to stand out. But what good is it for when you don’t sit, stand or walk elegantly? Hence, maintaining a good posture is critically important not only for a good appearance but also for a healthy body.

What leads to a bad posture?

Let’s break this for you. Your posture is related to maintaining the natural curves of your spine or backbone which joins various parts of your musculoskeletal system. Here, you need to know the cause to figure out how to improve YOUR posture. Some common reasons that culminate a bad posture are:

1. Weight:

An overweight dealigns your spine. Additional weight exerts more pressure on your lower back and hence, leads to a bad posture.

2. Muscle Injury:

An injury caused by an accident or an unfortunate event may also lead to a bad posture. While healing, the spasming muscles that surround the injury site to protect it eventually weaken, imbalancing your muscles and disturbing your posture.

3. Poor muscle health:

Your muscles weaken due to inadequate exercise, aging, diabetes, or heart disease. Weak abdominal muscles lead to poor posture and back pain.

4. Long sitting time:

Sitting for a long period or not occasionally changing your position causes muscle tension around the neck, back, and shoulders. This usually happens while overusing a computer, laptop, or phone sitting on a chair looking into the screen for hours. Choosing the right furniture is one very important tip for improving your posture at home.

5. Uncomfortable footwear:

Wearing uncomfortable shoes or high heels directly puts strain on your ankles, knees, and lower back. This leads to extreme pain and eventually to an awkward posture.

6. Restless furniture:

Surprisingly, your furniture has a lot to do with your posture. Sitting for too long on a chair that does not support the natural curves of your body is fatal to your posture. Similarly uncomfortably leaning onto couches, beds, and chairs is also a posture no-no.

5 ways to improve your posture

There are several ways of improving your posture at home, be it static (posture while sitting, standing, or sleeping) or dynamic (posture while moving). If you are concerned about fixing your posture, here is the guide to straighten up:

1. Stretch your neck

Take out time to stretch your neck. Using your phone or computer too long directly strains your spine. This can lead to severe neck and muscle pain in the long run. Try changing your positions often while sitting. Keep the phone or laptop at a comfortable height in front of you, so you don’t have to bend your neck down to look into the screen.

2. Be punctual at exercising

A lack of exercise adds up to your weight and weakens muscles. Try carrying out exercises such as tai chi, child’s pose, cat-cow, forward fold, Etc. You can head onto Youtube to find the right exercise for you.

3. Avoid wearing heels often

As identified before, wearing heals puts strain on your lower body joints, causing your backbone to over-arch. They imbalance your body while you walk. Heels undoubtedly look elegant on you, but you should avoid wearing them regularly. Save them for later to flex on an event. Choose a daily wear or chunky shoes instead.

4. Straighten up

While standing, carry out these:

• Stand up tall and straight

• Keep your shoulders stretched back

• Draw your stomach in

• Keep your head level

• Hang down your arms naturally

• Keep your feet apart

• Put your weight on the metatarsal bones of your feet; the area where the toes attach

5. Stop slouching

While sitting, try these:

• Do not droop onto the desk

• Do not sit with your legs crossed

• Keep your feet straight on the floor

• Choose a chair that supports your back, thighs, and hips

• Bend your knees and elbows at 90 degrees, elbows enclosed and knees open.

• Change your sitting positions to relax muscles

• Try walking around briefly

Conclusion

Improving your posture is important. It not only improves health and relieves pain, but also adds to your personality. If you are concerned about how to improve your posture, follow our guide to see positive and instant results.