How am I impacting my posture?
In our day to day lives we are constantly doing activities and finding ourselves in positions that affect our posture in this week’s blog we are going to run through a few examples of common day to day activities that will affect your posture so you can be more aware yourself!
1. Sitting
Sitting is the worst position for your body and has a negative impact on our posture as we are not designed to be sedentary, we are designed for movement. Avoid sitting for extended periods and incorporate more movement into your daily activities.
2. Technology.
When we are using devices such as smartphones and tablets we tend to tilt our necks forward and slouch which adds a lot of extra strain to the body.
3. Poor sleeping position.
We spend close to a third of our lives lying in bed, laying on your stomach in particular is hugely detrimental and increases tension throughout the body.
4. Incorrect pillow height.
Having a pillow that is too high will push your head forward like sitting at a computer would. If you pillow is too low it will not give enough support. Check out our blog on sleeping for more detail on finding the correct pillow height.
5. Mattresses.
Having a decent mattress has a big impact on our posture as we need to be supported for the 8 hours plus per day we spend on it. Generally as firm as you can handle will give you the best support and replace your mattress every 10 years.
6. Asymmetrical or repetitive work, sport or leisure activities.
Doing activities which are very one side dominant will often lead to muscular imbalances so it is important to be aware of such things and much sure to add exercises that will address the other side of the body.
7. Health and fitness
Flexibility, muscle strength and endurance has an impact on our posture. Each week try to fit in at least 2.5 hours of aerobic activity. Also incorporate pre and post stretching and mobility.
8. Genetics.
Congenital conditions such as a scoliosis or short leg will affect our posture in a number of ways.
9. Depression.
Feeling depressed, anxious or tired can cause us to slump.
10. Injuries.
Even slight injuries such as a rolled ankle can force us to shift weight around and cause compensations throughout the body.
If you are concerned about your posture feel free to give us a call on (02) 49692886 or click here to book an appointment
