Perfecting Your Posture

One of our regular questions in the office - what can I do at work or at home to improve my posture and prevent slumping?

Proper body posture has to do with alignment: ears are over shoulders (not in front) and shoulders are over hips (not rolled forward). For some people their pecs (chest muscles) are too short and tight, making it difficult to pull the shoulders back. Other people have weak back muscles that are unable to hold your spine and head in the right position all day long. And some have limited movement in their spine, specifically the upper back or thoracic region, which prevents a neutral alignment.

Below are some things you can do yourself to improve your posture, and possibly prevent work-related headaches and sore neck or muscles:

1. Make sure your desk is set up correctly - use the diagram below as a reference:

2. Stretch your chest/front of your shoulders

3. Strengthen your upper back. You can use exercise bands if you have them, or simply squeezing the shoulder blades together will work those muscles.

One useful tool for people with chronically poor posture is the Posture Medic. This simple device has 3 uses: you can use it to stretch, it's an exercise band you can use to strengthen, and you can wear it to help improve your posture when you have long hours at the computer or working.

Ask Dr Scott or Dr Taia about a Posture Medic device - once sized they can be ordered for you!