What’s the difference between correct and wrong body posture? If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. We all make mistakes when it comes to our posture, but when your body posture isn’t correct you may be setting yourself up for long-term health problems like back pain or neck pain. In this article, I’ll take you through the five most common ways we mess up our body posture and show you how to fix them so you can sit, stand, and move more comfortable throughout your day!
Slouching over
We’ve all been guilty of slouching over, whether we’re sitting at a desk or standing in line. But did you know that this common body posture can actually lead to a number of health problems? Slouching over puts unnecessary strain on your spine, shoulders, and neck, and can even cause headaches. Plus, it makes you look shorter and less confident. The good news is that there are a few easy ways to fix your posture. Simply sit up straight with your head up, chest out, and shoulders back. And when you stand up make sure not to hunch forward!
Folding your arms
Many of us have a tendency to fold our arms across our chests when we’re feeling closed off or defensive. But this posture can actually make you appear more closed off and can cause the muscles in your shoulders and neck to tense up. Instead, try keeping your arms at your sides or, if you must cross them, do so low across your stomach. This will help open up your chest and convey a more welcoming attitude.
Standing with your weight on one leg: By putting too much weight on one leg, it’s possible that you’ll be compensating for an injury on the other side of your body. It may also just be a habit you’ve fallen into because it’s easy to put all of your weight on one foot while standing still. Either way, standing evenly should be what you aim for.
Propping your head on your hand
It’s common to see people propping their heads up with their hands when they’re tired, but this is actually really bad for your body posture. It puts unnecessary strain on your neck and shoulders and can lead to headaches and migraines. Instead, try sitting up straight or lying down flat. Don’t slouch: Slouching doesn’t just make you look less confident –
it also throws off your body alignment, which means that you’ll end up putting more stress on different parts of your body. Avoid slouching by taking a deep breath in, pulling your stomach in as if you were doing a crunch, then exhaling slowly while leaning back into the chair or standing straight up again.
Sitting with crossed legs
This is a body posture you should avoid because it can cause hip and lower back pain. Instead, try sitting with your feet flat on the floor and your knees at a 90-degree angle. You can also put a small pillow or rolled-up towel under your lower back for extra support. Sitting on the edge of your chair: When you sit too close to the edge of your chair, all of your weight is concentrated in one spot which may lead to numbness in that area.
It’s better to sit about 2 inches from the edge of your seat so that more of your weight will be distributed evenly across the entire surface area. Standing up straight: When standing up straight, make sure not to lock out all joints as this will compress them and lead blood flow away from them.
Hunching
We’ve all been guilty of hunching at one point or another, whether we’re working at a desk or sitting on the couch. But did you know that this common body posture can actually lead to a number of health problems? Neck pain, headaches, and even fatigue can all be caused by poor posture. To avoid these issues, be conscious of your posture throughout the day and try to sit up straight or stand tall.
If you find yourself slouching, take a break and stretch your back and neck. Here are some other body postures you should do: Straighten out your shoulders and tuck in your chin; open up your chest; pull in your abs; put one hand over the other with thumbs touching and push away from you while inhaling; release while exhaling.
