Poor Posture May Affect Your Entire Body
It’s amazing how daily life can have such a huge impact on our posture. I believe that with a focused approach you can improve your posture, one day at a time.
It’s worth reminding yourself to think about posture over the course of your daily tasks because posture issues can have a cumulative effect as we age.
Poor posture may affect your entire body
1. You’re not wearing the right level of support for your activity level.
This is a common issue with ladies. Wearing a poorly fitted bra can have a detrimental effect on posture.
Wearing unsupportive bras, especially when working out, can cause serious upper back pain and strain the muscles in the chest.
Women who are well endowed may also experience lower back discomfort from leaning backward to overcompensate for the weight pulling them forward.
Finding a more supportive bra is the first step. Next, take some time to find a supportive sports bra to wear while you work out. Make sure you’re shopping for the size you are, not the size you want to be—whether it’s smaller or bigger.
2. When you sit down, you find yourself leaning forward and sinking into the seat. Sitting for prolonged periods can lead to a slumped posture.
If you’re slouching and rounding your shoulders, you are lengthening and stretching out the muscles in the upper back. This then causes the chest muscles to shorten. Over time this can create imbalances that can lead to pain and discomfort in the upper body.
Sit up tall and ensure that your back is fully supported against a backrest. Take frequent breaks to stand up and walk around, if possible. Make an effort to do stretches throughout the day that are focused on stretching out the chest muscles.
3. You’re only working on the muscles you can see rather than equally building supporting muscles. This is a common problem for both men and women in the gym. A ‘vanity workout’ is when people work out the muscles they can see and is sometimes called a ‘mirror workout.’
Working and building strength in some muscle groups and ignoring others can create imbalances. The most common gym mistake for men is building big chest muscles and ignoring the legs. For women, it’s working the abs and ignoring the muscles of the lower back.
Understand that the majority of your muscles work in pairs. If you work one muscle, always follow up by working with its partner. For instance, if you work your upper body on one day, then try to work your lower body the next day. I believe that following a balanced fitness program will help you keep your posture in check.
