Posture generally should not be thought of as “good” or “bad,” however, many of us have developed habits surrounding posture that can be unhelpful and lead to back pain, neck pain or headaches. The unhelpful piece is when we remain in the same position for an extended period. Raise your hand if you have ever been guilty of sitting at your desk or on your couch for multiple hours – we have all been there! Our body doesn’t love to stay in the same position for such a long amount of time so we must find simple ways to bring more movement into our day and help reverse the postures that we spend the most time in. Here are a few simple exercises to try at home to prevent the aches associated with prolonged posture. A nice practice is to make sure you are performing movement every hour. This can be as simple as performing one of the exercises below and can take less than 30 seconds, but it can make a huge difference in how you feel throughout the day!  The following exercises can all be performed while seated at your desk, here we go:

  • Shoulder blade squeeze: sit up nice and tall stretching your head towards the ceiling and letting your shoulders relax towards the floor. Start to squeeze your shoulder blades together behind your back – as you perform this movement you should feel your shoulders pull back, and your chest puff forward. You should feel a slight backwards arch in your upper back. Pinch the shoulder blades back and down towards the floor, hold for a few seconds, and then fully relax the shoulders. Repeat this a few times in a row (5-10 is a great starting point)!
  • Chin tuck: this exercise can feel awkward to perform but it is a great one if you experience headaches, neck pain or upper back pain. Many of us have a natural tendency for our head to rest in front of our shoulders, or a “forward head posture.” This exercise helps reverse that posture and stretches the little muscles at the base of our skull. To perform the exercise, sit up tall and think about keeping your chin parallel to the floor. Pull your chin in towards your neck and hold for a few seconds before relaxing. As you pull your chin in, try not to look down, it should feel like you are stacking your head right on top of your body and creating a “double chin” for yourself. It is normal to feel a little pull on the back of your neck, only stretch as far as your body can tolerate and feels comfortable to you.
  • Seated Cat/Cow: this is an excellent exercise to pair with your breath, it can help calm your mind, reduce stress, stretch your chest and your back, and improve your posture. To perform the exercise, sit up tall in your chair, feet flat on the ground. It can be helpful to place your hands on your thighs. Inhale and arch your back, opening your chest and lifting your chin slightly – you should feel a stretch through the front of your chest. Then exhale and round your back, pulling your chin in towards your chest – you should feel a nice stretch through your upper back. Repeat slowly as needed, performing 5 rounds is a nice place to start.
  • Seated Side Body Stretch: this movement is great to lengthen the side of your body and stretch your shoulders. To perform, sit comfortably on a chair with your planted firmly on the ground. Inhale, lift your right hand up and out to the right side, and bring it in an arc above your head. Gently begin to lean toward the left, stretching the fingertips of the right hand over your head toward the left side. Feel a lengthening through the right side of the body. You can press the palm of the left hand flat into the chair or on the armrest for balance. You should feel a nice stretch from your right hip to right fingertip. Breathe gently for 5 to 10 deep breaths and then repeat on the left side. Lifting your left arm up and leaning towards the right side, feeling that big stretch from your left hip to left fingertips.

Practice adding these exercises into your day to improve your posture and concentration, while reducing the risk of aches and pains. It can be helpful to set a reminder for yourself on your phone so that you remember to perform them, and it starts to become a habit!

 

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