The surprising ways bad posture can impact your health
We’ve all heard that good posture is important, but just how important is it?
As it turns out, bad posture could affect a woman’s vanity just as much as her health. Having a bent spine, as is common during time spent on the computer or driving, tightens your chest, forcing your shoulder muscles into a collapsed position. This slump forward causes your breasts to sag, not to mention the more obvious effect of shoulder, neck and back pain. And while you’re sitting in poor posture your hips and stature are suffering too. In such a position, your hip muscles are shortened and tightened, which causes your stomach to jut forward in an unflattering manner.
What’s worse? Your favourite high heels could also be a culprit for strained necks and saggy breasts: wearing heels causes the ankle muscles to tighten, which causes a chain reaction all the way up to your shoulders and neck. When your ankles are tight, so is your spine. They might make you feel tall and statuesque, but it seems high heels can actually increase bad posture.
So what can you do to combat daily habits that might be putting unnecessary stress on your spine and permeating your bad posture?
1. Sit Tall – keep your spine as straight as possible with your shoulders back and your abs engaged. Eventually this stature will become second nature as your muscles strengthen and become accustomed.
2. Do strength training exercises– doing hip raises or squats (weighted or unweighted) help to strengthen your glutes and realign your pelvis and hip muscles. Upper back exercises can help to strengthen the spine and stretch the chest, which improves posture. Try back extensions, or, if you have access to a gym, light rowing or lateral pull-downs.
3. Stretch your chest – the simplest way to stretch your chest is to stand up tall, clasp your hands behind your back and, lifting your chest, raise your arms only so much as is comfortable. This will help relieve tension in your chest that is encouraging bad posture.
4. Give the heels a break – If you’re the type who has spent your entire life wearing heels every day, try to lessen this. Wear flats on alternating days to give your muscles some time to relax.