A curved or stooped back can cause painful problems that will get worse over time. To keep your symptoms and condition from getting worse as you get older, you should keep your back straight from now on.
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Method 1 of 4: Recognizing Signs of Bad Posture
Step 1. Know what good posture looks like
The first step to improving your posture is knowing what kind of posture you want. Make sure your shoulders are pulled back, stomach in, and chest out. Stand sideways in front of a mirror and see if you can draw a straight line from your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, to the middle of your ankles.
- Head and neck: Make sure your head is straight over your shoulders. Most people tend to lean their heads forward. If your ears are in line with the front of your chest, you should pull your head back.
- Shoulders, arms, and hands: Your arms and hands should fall on either side of your body, so that your shoulders show good posture. If your arms fall on your chest, pull your shoulders back.
- Hips: Find a comfortable position halfway between forward or backward.
Step 2. Recognize pain and discomfort
The most obvious sign of bad posture is back, shoulder, and neck pain. Poor posture makes the chest muscles tighten, so the lower back muscles are forced to compensate. This causes the back muscles to weaken, causing pain and discomfort. Because all muscles work together, when one set of muscles does not function properly, the others will be affected.
Not everyone who has bad posture will feel pain or discomfort. Our bodies can adjust and compensate for posture quite well
Step 3. See if your foot is “overpronated” or arched inward
This condition can be detected if your feet are almost completely flat. This foot shape is also known as flat foot or "fall arch". Feet are the lowest balance mechanism of our body. If your posture is not good, your feet will have to work harder to maintain balance. This makes the soles of the feet flatter in an effort to provide a more stable balance. If the posture is corrected, the weight will be placed on the top of the heel, freeing the rest of the foot from the load and creating an arch.
Even if flat feet are a sign of poor posture, you may also experience pain in your feet, calves, knees, hips, and generally your lower legs
Step 4. Evaluate your mood
Research conducted at San Francisco State University asked students to walk down the campus hallway with a bent position or step with a straight body. Students who slouched reported that they felt depression and general lethargy. Although it seems strange, but you have to think about this. Body language is often an indication of your general mood. You will sit crouched with your arms crossed when you are angry or sad. You are passionate when you are happy. So your mood can tell you what your posture looks like. If you're feeling a little down, consider improving your posture.
Method 2 of 4: Correcting Posture
Step 1. Remember to always stand tall
Set a reminder on your phone or computer to remind you to straighten up. Post notes around your home, car, and office. Sometimes all it takes to maintain posture is constant reminders and encouragement. You have to reprogram the habit, just as seriously as you have to strengthen the back muscles.
Step 2. Practice yoga
Yoga is great for improving posture. Some of the best exercises for the back are:
- Cobra pose: Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Make sure your fingers point forward. Then, keeping your elbows close to your sides, try to touch your shoulder blades together. Stabilize your back by tightening your abdominal muscles. Then, slowly lift your chest toward the ceiling, making sure your neck extends upwards. Use your arms for support, but it's the back muscles that should be used to push you up. Hold for 10 breaths, then lower yourself down. Repeat 3 times.
- Child's pose: Sit on your knees with your arms extended above your head. The palms should face each other. Then, exhale and slowly move your body forward. Lower your forehead to the floor and straighten your arms in front, palms pressed to the floor. Hold, and return to the starting position. Repeat six times.
- Mountain pose: Stand straight with feet on the floor, heels slightly apart. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed on both feet. Then, open the shoulder blades and try to touch them. Release slowly. After that, raise both arms towards the ceiling and look forward.
Step 3. Perform other exercises and stretches to improve posture
These techniques should specifically focus on the abdominal and back muscles as these are the muscles that will help support your spine.
- Bring the two shoulder blades together. Imagine as if there was a ball between your shoulder blades. Try squeezing the ball by bringing the shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 seconds. This will help stretch the front of the shoulder, which may feel tight in bad posture.
- Turn your shoulders. Rotate one shoulder forward, up, back, then, down. Imagine that you insert your shoulder blades under your spine. Then, repeat with the other shoulder. This will help pull your shoulders back more than they normally would.
- Stretch your chest. Roll up a towel or piece of cloth and stand with your feet wide apart. Hold the roll of fabric tight with your hands shoulder-width apart. Inhale and raise your hands until they are at shoulder level. Then exhale and pull your arms up and back as far as possible. Hold for two inhalations and exhalations, then lower your arms and repeat.
Method 3 of 4: Making Adjustments in Daily Life
Step 1. Choose the correct bag
Choose a handbag, school bag, or backpack that will help distribute your weight evenly across your back. Choose a bag with wide straps and has padding that can be placed on both shoulders.
Step 2. Choose shoes that support your weight
Frequently wearing high heels or thin flat shoes will put extra pressure on your back. Look for shoes with supportive soles, rounded toes, and heels that are less than 2.5 cm. Higher heels will force your weight to lean forward, which will encourage you to bend or bend backwards, which is just as bad for your back.
Step 3. Learn how to sit properly at the computer
Your feet should touch the floor, your back should be straight, and your neck should be in a neutral position. This position will help reduce back pain and also straighten your back. You can also buy an ergonomic chair that will support you to sit upright comfortably.
Step 4. Change your sleeping habits
Consider sleeping on your side, with your hips arched about 30˚. Also bend your knees about 30˚. Then, move your neck slightly forward on the pillow to help lengthen your spine.
- If you sleep on your back, consider placing a pillow under your knees and a rolled towel under your back. This will help relieve pressure on the back, reduce back pain and support back lengthening.
- If you sleep on your side, consider placing a pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach will place unnecessary stress on the spine, and can lead to spinal degradation. Over time, this sleeping position can also cause chronic neck pain and lower back pain.
Step 5. Apply proper lifting technique
Lifting and carrying heavy objects improperly can cause serious back pain. If you lift heavy objects frequently, consider wearing a back support belt, which will help maintain good posture when lifting. Also, be sure to apply the correct lifting technique, such as the following:
- Bend the knees, not the waist. The abdominal and leg muscles are designed to help you carry and lift objects, but the back muscles are not. When you're about to lift an object, make sure you bend your knees, don't stoop so that your lower back doesn't put pressure on you.
- Bring the object you are lifting on your chest. The closer the object is to your chest, the less work your back has to hold it in.
Method 4 of 4: See a Professional
Step 1. See a doctor
If your back or spine is arched and it's difficult for you to stand straight, consider talking to your doctor. Maybe you have scoliosis or other problems related to the spine. Your doctor may suggest wearing a back brace. Doctors will only suggest spinal surgery in very extreme cases. There are many methods other than surgery that can be used to relieve your back pain.
Step 2. See an egoscue therapist
An egoscue therapist is an expert in posture therapy, focusing on your symptoms (if any), posture, gait, and other problems. An egoscue therapist will teach you how to straighten your back by focusing on problem areas, then develop a program of exercises and stretches that you can do at home.
- Most of these exercises are designed to increase the range of motion in the hips and lengthen the spine, releasing tension built up in the spinal column.
- If your problem is not so severe, you can simply train with a personal trainer. Say that you want to focus on the muscles that improve posture (usually the lateral muscles). A personal trainer will show you several sets of common exercises and stretches to improve your posture.
Step 3. Consult a chiropractor
The chiropractor will take X-rays of your back and spine. After that, he or she will be able to measure the curvature of your spine to indicate if you have a serious problem. The chiropractor can also examine each vertebra to determine if there is an abnormal alignment, slippage, or misalignment. Most of these problems can be treated at a chiropractor's clinic, but if a more serious problem is found, you will be referred to a specialist.
Step 4. Massage your body regularly
Constant stress and tension causes the back muscles to stiffen, causing them to stoop. If your life is full of stress, consider incorporating massage into your daily life.
