It is no secret that rounded shoulders lack appeal, but did you know bad posture is bad for your health? Beyond the general neck, shoulder and upper back pain and discomfort that comes from slouching, poor posture can also limit your breathing, cause headaches, contribute to heartburn, slow digestion, degenerative disc disease, incontinence (in women) and poor sleep.
Stay active: Most of us are tied to our computers or phones all day. It is important to get up and move around every 20 or 30 minutes. There are a number of apps that can remind you to take periodic breaks throughout the day.
Stretch: Simply stretching throughout the day can help to realign your posture. Trying this during one of your computer breaks is a great idea. Try simply shoulder rolls. Raise your shoulders to your ears as you inhale. As you exhale, squeeze your shoulder blades together like you are holding a piece of paper between them. Do these five or 10 times in a row throughout the day.
Avoid Tech Neck: Keep your chin up even when looking at your phone. Texting is bad for your posture. Try looking down at your phone with your eyes alone, without bending your neck.
Talk to an Expert: Reversing years of bad posture, is not easy. Talk to a physical therapist that can help you. He or she could evaluate your posture and provide a muscle strengthening program that might work for you.
If you are experiencing shoulder or neck pain from bad posture, schedule a consultation with one of our orthopedic experts at (407) 977-4130. Our physicians perform arthroscopic surgery, robotic hip and knee surgery, hand, elbow and wrist surgery as well as hip, knee and shoulder reconstruction and replacement surgery.
Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/3-surprising-risks-of-poor-posture
