Your back hurts, your neck hurts, and your traps feel tense. You’re lacking range of motion in your spine. This isn’t because you slept wrong.
It’s probably the new pandemic of technology affecting our psychological and physical health. We’ve become less self-aware of our body behaviors with our phones and other technology. Yes, we’re busy trying to make a living, but our health should be our main priority. Why wait for your lower back or neck to hurt before addressing the issue? Let’s predict the cause and effects of our physical behavior with our devices.
Remember, your head weighs approximately 12-15 pounds. Try holding a 10-12 lb dumbbell slightly in front of you. You probably won’t last more than 2 minutes before feeling aching and/or burning.
Like anything else, we can be moving in the right direction or the wrong direction. So, prioritize your health by being mindful of your posture and making small adjustments throughout the day. This is called positive stacking.
Here are some quick tips:
• Be hyper-aware of how you feel and where your head is located. Leaning forward or having a caved chest is an indicator of poor posture.
• When using your computer or laptop, sit towards the front edge of your chair and envision a string attached to the top of your head gently pulling you upward towards the ceiling.
• Elevating your laptop to eye level, either by stacking a few textbooks or using a riser, can also assist in maintaining a more upright head position.
• If you work in an office with a standing desk, aim to use it more frequently by setting a timer to remind you to stand for 20 minutes every hour. As a bonus, every hour you stand, you burn approximately 100 calories!
If you've resonated with any part of this post and want to take action on your own, begin with a series of stretching exercises.
If you or someone you know is interested in posture corrective exercises, you're welcome to schedule a free personal training evaluation through our website: https://www.a1traininggroupllc.com/services
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