For years, I have had back problems from sleeping on hardwood floors for most of my childhood. Up until recently, I had terrible posture and my back would ache. For some reason, my posture is straight and my back doesn't hurt as often. At times, unfortunately, it does slouch, so how can I control it? Are there products for these kinds of issues?
Perhaps enrolling in a good yoga or Pilates class? I know many who swear by it and even though I have not done Pilates, I do feel that my yoga classes have helped me with my posture. Another thing you could do is walk around with books on your head (in the privacy of your home of course (-:...) as that is believed to really help with posture.
I do pilates but I don't think it helps your posture. It does help to releive back pain, though. That is the reason I actually started doing pilates. I think yoga may help with your posture depending on what moves you are practicing. I think learning the correct posture when walking or sitting and getting into the habit of doing them would be your best bet. I have heard of walking with book on your head is a good way to learn correct posture but I have never tried it myself. I am sure the books would drop straight onto my toes!
Yoga and core strengthening is what you need to do. When you do this, it will be easy for you to have the muscle groups toned to keep your posture better. Not only that the Yoga can teach you how you should be standing, rather then how you are standing.
I would agree with the yoga, but also the pilates because it builds core strength. 'Course I am a military brat so I have always had some really great posture.
Another good way to improve your posture is to enroll in an adult ballet class. I took classes when I was young and I can definitely say it has helped my posture. I haven't attended classes for a long time now but the posture habits I learnt there has always stayed with me.
You can improve your posture by doing the simple things that you do everyday in a proper manner, you can start by sitting properly and avoid slouching. When you're standing, make sure to support your weight evenly on both feet. When you are picking up something heavy, do not use the force of your back, bend your knees instead and pick it up using the muscles of your legs. Proper body positioning is really helpful to improve and maintain posture.
Pretty much just becoming aware of when you're slouching will do the trick. If you're at the point where you know that you're slouching, then you know that you can straighten up. Do this enough, and eventually you won't catch yourself slouching anymore.
Yep, that's pretty much what I was going to say, too. If you try to be more aware overall, then you'll correct it and be more likely to keep it that way more often. If you need a little reminder or encouragement, you can always put a pillow or towel in the small of your back when you're sitting at a desk to force you to sit up straight. As you start to slouch, it'll become uncomfortable or will start slipping, which will remind you to readjust again.
I would definitely recommend yoga, too. Unless of course you like to do new things because the best thing you can do is ballet or latin dance. But yoga is better and it is easier to start working out this way
You can do simple exercises to help with strengthening your back. One of them is to lie on your side with your forearm on the floor, lift your hip of the floor so your only supporting yourself on your forearm with legs straight(one on top of the other)and hold the position for ten seconds. Repeat this twice on both sides. Another is to lie on your front and prop yourself up on your forearms and the tips of your feet. Now raise your hips off the floor until your back is straight and hold the position for ten seconds. Repeat this three times. Both of those exercises will help to strengthen your back. If you keep practising them, you'll find your natural sitting position will be improved significantly. Another trick is to imagine a piece of string coming out of the crown of your head and pulling you upwards. Sitting up straight like that can feel uncomfortable the first few times you do it, but the more you practise it the more natural it becomes and soon enough you'll be sitting like that without noticing.
Get an exercise ball and use it to strengthen your back. You can lie down on it and do "back sit ups" to strengthen your back muscles. I love my ball and use it adjust my back too. I bought one for $15 on ebay! Pilates helps a lot too!
Hi Andrew, Yoga will be the best choice for your posture and back ache problem. Yoga brings flexibility in body and helps in breathing better. Yoga reduce cholesterol level and lowers high blood pressure. Yoga sooth stress and prevent from anxiety, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
I'd go along with yoga and/or pilates. There's actually a discipline that's a mixture of the two, called Yogilates, which takes elements from both, and is good for both posture and back problems. Something you can train yourself to do when you're standing or sitting is to pull in your tummy muscles, as if you're trying to stick them to your spine. This will automatically correct a slouch, but don't hold your breath while you're doing it! With practise, you'll do it automatically. My belly dancing tutor said it was the best way to maintain correct posture.
If you really want a specific product to remind you to sit up straighter, you could also try one of those back supports like this: It'll pull your shoulders back and guide your spine into the right position. Hopefully that'll become habit and then you wouldn't need to wear it.
I'm pretty sure any exercise that works out your back and your abs will strengthen your posture as well. If you have a strong core, then it won't be as difficult to hold yourself up.
I think it is great, that you want to correct your posture. I just read that bad posture can worsen asthma. When you are slouched, your lungs are impacted and this causes inflammation. The inflammation in the lungs equals asthma symptoms. When you sit up straight, your lungs take in the most amount of air, and no inflammation. I do notice this is true when I slouch. I feel like I don't get as much air.
