In the Age of Technology, many of us sit down for as many as 8 hours a day at a desk job, sometimes even more at home! As we grow older, sitting with bad posture starts to hurt us. And I get it, sitting with bad posture can be hard sometimes, and we all want an easy way to do it.
So, I did exactly that, I researched hard found ways to improve your posture right now. These easy methods will help reduce a ton of back pain, and allow you to get used to sitting with better posture.
Here are 5 ways you can fix your posture and kiss your back pain goodbye!
1: Change Your Monitor Level and Distance
This is one I see all the time! At work or even school, I see people looking down or up at their monitors and getting not only neck pain but horrible back pain.
Adjust the chair height so the monitor is naturally within your line of sight. You don’t want to be tilting your head up or down, just straight forward, almost like you’re driving.
Furthermore, make sure the monitor is only about an arms length distance from you. This will help ensure you don’t squint or end up leaning forward or backwards to see the monitor better. This will not only help your eyesight, but your back pain and posture!
2: Position Your Keyboard and Mouse Closer, and Ditch The Long, Uncomfortable Phone Calls
As the day goes on, you often have to move things at your desk. However, try to make sure the keyboard and mouse are close to you.
You want to avoid having to lean in to try and type anything. This will make your posture horrible and make your back pain worse. Furthermore, you will want to recline after you’re done typing something for work, often leading to even worse posture habits.
Long phone call ahead? Ever hold up your phone to your ear using your shoulder and crane your neck in the most uncomfortable position ever? I’m guilty of it too, and sick of the neck pain that comes with it. It literally can be deadly to do this.
Consider purchasing a cheap headset to handle your business phone calls. Most earbuds (including the famous AirPods/Galaxy Buds) will allow you to call without craning your neck either. Additionally, this will allow you to hear the other person way clearer, reduce other noise around you from distracting your call, and they will most importantly: hear you better and get your tough business decisions done sooner.
3: Get Up and Move Every Now and Then!
A simple but not talked about ways to improve your posture is simply by getting up and moving around every now and then.
The truth is, the longer you sit staring at a screen, the more likely you are to want to relax and destroy your posture. Get up and walk around for a few minutes every once in a while.
Not only does getting up and walking around every once in a while help your mind get a break from your work, but it helps your physical health a ton!
Plus, when you sit down, you’ll be more likely to sit down in a good healthier position after giving your muscles a bit of a stretch.
4: Start Planting your Feet FIRMLY on the Ground!
People make posture super complicated. They tell you all of these crazy steps to do at once that you’ll never remember.
However, one that is easy to remember is planting your feet firmly on the ground.
Your feet should be firmly on the ground and flat. This will naturally support your upper body in sitting in a healthy posture. Additionally, if your feet are flat on the ground, you will notice it is very uncomfortable to sit with bad posture.
Placing your feet firmly and flat on the ground is almost a guaranteed way to remind you to keep your good posture up, as you will be more inclined to sit up straight and get rid of that back pain.
Try to avoid the bad habit of crossing your legs! This is really bad for your posture, and will make you regret it for years to come.
5: See a Chiropractor to Help Your Posture
A chiropractor can help strengthen your posture by making chiropractic adjustments, giving you exercises to perform, and identifying what specific posture mistakes you’re making.
Chiropractors have spent years and years of schooling and can know exactly what’s wrong and how to fix it. Your years of back pain can go away in just one visit!
To recap: make sure your monitor is adjusted right, fix your desk layout, be more active, keep your feet flat, and see a chiropractor. Making these small but easy to remember chances can build a big foundation for your posture in the future, saving you tons of pain and money.
Visit Dr. Alex Tauberg DC at his office and find a chiropractor near you here!
Bio
-Tommy, https://www.vekhayn.com, currently in school to become an emergency medicine physician.