Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Recognizing Signs of Poor Posture
• Method 2 of 4: Improving your posture
• Method 3 of 4: Make adjustments to your daily life
• Method 4 of 4: Get qualified help

If there is a curvature of the spine or stoop, then this can cause a lot of painful problems that will only get worse over time. By doing your best to keep your back straight, you may be able to relieve the worsening of symptoms as you age.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Recognizing Signs of Poor Posture

1. 1 Know what it looks like good posture. The first step to improving your posture is simply knowing what to look for. Pull your shoulders back, pull your stomach in, straighten your chest. Stand sideways in front of the mirror and see if you can draw a straight line from the earlobe over the shoulder, thigh, knee, and down to the middle of the ankle.
   • Head and neck. Try to keep your head upright, pulling it up slightly. For many people, the head tends to be tilted forward. If your ears are at the level of the front of your chest, then you need to move your head back.
   • Shoulders, arms and hands. The arms and hands should be on the sides of the body. If so, then your shoulders are showing good posture. If your arms drop to the front of your chest, then move your shoulders back.
   • Hips. Find a middle ground so as not to swing your hips too much forward or backward.
2. 2 Consider pain and discomfort. The most obvious sign of poor posture is back, shoulder and neck pain. Poor posture causes the pectoral muscles to tense up, which forces the muscles of the upper back to compensate. This leads to a weakening of the back muscles in general, which is painful and uncomfortable. Because all muscles work together, other muscles are affected because a particular muscle group is not working properly.
   • Not all people with poor posture experience pain or discomfort. Our bodies are able to adapt and compensate for the changes that occur.
3. 3 Look at your feet for excessive pronation. This is when the arch of the foot is almost completely flat. This condition is also called flat feet. The feet are the lowest balancing mechanism in our bodies. If you have poor posture, the load on your feet increases to maintain balance. This causes the foot to gradually "flatten" to provide a solid foundation. If your posture improves, you will shift almost all of your weight to the top of your heel, freeing up the rest of your arch up to the arch of your foot.
   • Although flat feet are themselves a sign of poor posture, pain in the feet, ankle, lower leg, knee, hip, and lower leg in general can also occur.
4. 4 Assess your mood. At San Francisco State University, a study was conducted in which students were asked to walk down a hallway with their hunches or heads held high. Those who hunched over reported increased feelings of depression and general lethargy. While this may sound strange, think about it. Body language often indicates your overall mood. You huddle in a corner, crossing your arms when angry or sad. You liven up when you are happy. So why can't your mood tell you something about your posture? If you feel discouraged, then try to improve your posture.

Method 2 of 4: Improving your posture

1. 1 Remind yourself to stand up straight. Set up your phone or computer to remind you to check your posture. Place reminders for yourself in your home, car, and office. Sometimes all that is needed for correct posture is constant reminders and rewards. You should change your habits just as much as you need to strengthen your back muscles.
2. 2 Practice yoga. Yoga is especially beneficial for improving posture. Some of the best exercises include:
   • Cobra. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. The fingers should be pointing forward. Then, keeping your elbows close to your body, try to bring your shoulder blades together. Try to keep your back stable by contracting your abdominal muscles. Then slowly lift your chest towards the ceiling, trying to stretch your neck. Lean on your arms, but stretch using your back muscles. Hold this position for 10 breaths, then lower yourself. Repeat 3 times.
   • Baby pose... Kneel down with your arms raised above your head. The palms should be facing each other. Then exhale and slowly bend forward. Touch your forehead to the floor and stretch your arms out in front of you, resting your palms on the floor. Hold and then return to the starting position. Repeat six times.
   • Mountain Pose. Stand up straight with your heels slightly apart. Distribute your weight evenly across both legs. Raise the inside of your ankles until your feet are cupped. Then expand your shoulder blades and try to close them. Let go slowly. Finally, raise your arms to the ceiling and look forward.
3. 3 Do other exercises and stretches to improve your posture. When choosing the right technique, focus on the abdominal and back muscles as they support the spine.
   • Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Imagine holding a ball between your shoulder blades. Try to squeeze the ball by bringing your shoulder blades together. Hold this position for 10 seconds. This will help stretch the front of your shoulders, which are likely to be stressed by poor posture.
   • Roll your shoulders. Rotate with one shoulder: forward, up, back, and then down. Imagine that you are sliding your shoulder blade along your spine. Then repeat on the other side. This will help bring your shoulders back beyond their normal position.
   • Knead your chest. Roll up a towel or cloth and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the fabric so that you pull it tight and spread your arms shoulder-width apart. Inhale and raise your arms to shoulder height. Then exhale and extend your arms up and back as far as you can. Hold in this position for two inhalations and exhalations, then lower your arms and repeat.

Method 3 of 4: Make adjustments to your daily life

1. 1 Choose the right bag. Choose a bag, briefcase, or backpack that will help distribute the weight evenly across your back. Try to choose a product with wide, padded shoulder straps that can be placed on both shoulders.
2. 2 Choose supportive shoes. Constantly wearing slip-on shoes or high heels puts additional strain on your back. Look for shoes with supportive soles, a rectangular toe, and a heel no taller than 1 inch.A taller heel translates weight forward, which increases slouching or leads to overcorrection, which is equally detrimental to the back.
3. 3 Learn how to sit at the computer correctly. Your feet should be on the floor, your back should be straight, and your neck should be in a neutral position. This will help relieve back pain as well as straighten your back. You can also buy ergonomic chairs that encourage you to sit up straight and feel comfortable.
4. 4 Change your sleeping habits. Alternatively, try sleeping on your side with your hips bent at about a 30˚ angle. Also bend your knees at about a 30˚ angle. Finally, lower your head slightly forward onto the pillow to help stretch your spine.
   • If you sleep on your back, try placing a pillow under your knees and a rolled towel under your back. This will help relieve pressure on your back, reducing back pain and helping to stretch your spine.
   • If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees to align your hips.
   • Try not to sleep on your stomach. If you sleep on your stomach, then in this position, excessive stress is created on the spine, which can lead to its degradation. Also, it can lead to the emergence of chronic pain in the neck and lower back in the future.
5. 5 Try to lift weights using the correct technique. Lifting and carrying heavy objects improperly can lead to severe back pain. If you often have to do heavy physical work, then try wearing a back support belt, which will help you maintain correct posture while lifting weights. Also, try to be in the correct positions:
   • Bend your knees, not your waist. The muscles in your legs and abdomen are designed to help you carry and lift things, but your back muscles are not. When lifting anything, try to bend your knees completely instead of bending over and straining your lower back.
   • Keep items close to your chest. The closer the object is to the chest, the less stress is put on the back to hold it.

Method 4 of 4: Get qualified help

1. 1 See a doctor. If you have severe curvature of your spine and find it difficult to stand up straight, try talking to your doctor. You may have scoliosis or other spinal problems. Your doctor may suggest that you wear a brace. Doctors recommend performing spinal surgery only in the most extreme cases. There are many other ways to reduce back pain.
2. 2 Meet with someone who practices Egoscue. Egoscue practitioners specialize in the treatment of posture problems. They will pay attention to your symptoms (if any), posture, gait, and a number of other issues. They will teach you how to stretch your back by targeting problem areas. Then, a plan of exercises and stretches that you can do at home will be selected for you.
   • Most of these exercises will focus on increasing the range of motion of the hips and stretching the spine, removing any tightness and tension in the spine.
   • If your problem is less serious, then work out with a personal trainer. Tell the trainer that you would like to focus on those muscles that will help improve your posture (mainly the lateral muscles). He will show you a set of general exercises and stretches to improve your posture.
3. 3 Consult a chiropractor. He will need a series of X-rays of his back and spine. He will later be able to measure the exact curvature of the spine to determine the severity of your problem. The chiropractor will also be able to examine each vertebra separately for abnormalities, displacements or abnormalities. Most of these problems can be fixed in the chiropractor's office, but if they find a more serious problem, they will refer you to a specialist.
4. 4 Sign up for regular massage sessions. Stress and constant tension can stiffen your back muscles, leading to a stooped back. If you have a stressful lifestyle, try to add massage sessions to your daily life.
   • In addition, regular use of the massage chair will relieve stress, but it is not a substitute for a professional massage therapist who can apply specialized pressure to the areas that require it the most.