3 Exercises to Improve Your Posture in the Coming Year

In our modern age of innovation and technology, we are more and more reliant and dependent on using computers and mobile devices in our everyday life. As we enjoy the ease of access to social media, newsfeeds, text messaging, or fun games on our mobile devices, you may not realize that you may be developing bad habits and poor posture while using a smartphone or at your computer desk.

According to research published by Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, this condition is becoming an epidemic as more and more people are using smartphones, looking downward at their devices and putting a lot of strain and stress on the neck. Our heads weigh about 10 to 12 pounds, but as our necks bend forward and downward, this weight increases significantly and adds additional strain on the cervical spine. As we bend forward slightly, say about 15 degrees, this weight more than doubles from 12 to about 30 pounds. At 30 degrees, it increases to 40 pounds, and like the man pictured above, at about 45 degrees, this weight on your spine goes up to 50 pounds! This increase in weight and pressure on the cervical spine over a long period of time will ultimately lead to increased wear and tear, early degeneration of the spine, or require surgery to correct.

Outside of being more cognizant of how you use your handheld mobile devices, here is one exercise to help prevent “text neck”. While there are a few variations of a chin tuck, the basic concept is to slide your chin back and straighten and strengthen your neck muscles for better posture. You can use your index and middle fingers and push your chin backward (not downward) and hold for a few seconds. Alternatively, you can stand with your back and shoulders relaxed against a wall and with your mouth closed, try to tuck your chin as far as you can back towards the wall. Repeat this a few times for a few sets throughout the day. This simple exercise only takes about a few minutes and can be easily done at your desk or when you walk to the water cooler for a break. Here is a video of the chin tuck exercise below

The Computer Strikes Back

Just like improper posture when using our smartphones, improper posture can develop at our computer desks at work as well. “Computer back” is more formally known as a posterior cervical dorsal syndrome, which is caused by excessive curving of your lower, middle and upper back, with rounded shoulders and often a forward protruding head. If you are sitting in this hunched position often, the muscles in your back and neck become weaker and can cause discomfort and pain to other parts of your body, including your chest and shoulders.

While there are many different back and shoulder exercises to do, one of the best is to do some simple back extensions. Get down on all fours and walk your hands a bit in front of you. Lift your hips up and back to lengthen your spine. Your body should resemble the letter “A”, and more commonly known as a downward-facing dog pose in yoga (see the left image below). Hold this position for about 30 seconds and do this 5-6 times. This stretch should open up your shoulders, lengthen your spine and stretch your hamstrings. If your hamstrings are not very flexible, modify this stretch by bending your knees slightly and move the weight onto your legs as you continue to stretch out your back.

For the next stretch, you can transition from all fours to lie face down on the floor or exercise mat. Start by placing your hands at the same level of your lower ribs and bend your elbows. Now pull yourself forward and upward to straighten your arms while arching your back. Press your hips to the floor and lift your chest up. Hold this position for about 30 seconds and do this 5-6 times. More commonly known as the upward-facing dog yoga pose, this should stretch your lower back, chest, shoulders, abdominal muscles and hip flexors (see the right image below). To stretch your upper back, place your hands in front of your head as opposed to next to your ribs.

We hope these exercises will help you to improve your posture while using your computer or smartphones. If you would like to learn more or receive a personal assessment of your posture, be sure to contact us for an evaluation and we can customize a fitness plan suitable for you and your goals.