Bad posture can lead to back pain now or later in life. Correcting your posture will reduce the chance of back pain later in life or reduce the pain you currently have. Correcting your posture may seem difficult, but it is possible. Here are four tricks that can help you correct your posture and reduce your back pain.
Learn Proper Posture
In order to correct your posture, you need to learn what good posture looks like. You want to keep your spine straight while also allowing its natural curves. Ask a chiropractor or other medical professional to explain good posture to you while standing and sitting. With that information, you’ll have the knowledge to train yourself to demonstrate good posture on your own.
Strengthen Your Core
Your core refers to the muscles in your midsection, including the abdominals, obliques, hip flexors, and pelvic floor. When you strengthen the core, it gives you more strength to hold your body up. Some exercises to increase your core include crunches, planks, yoga, and pilates, among other exercises.
To help relieve the stress on your core muscles, watch your weight as well. Eat healthy and exercise regularly to prevent more strain on your body, which can make good posture more challenging.
Practice Mindfulness
Many people go for hours with bad posture without even noticing, causing it to become a bad habit. Mindfulness can break this bad habit.
Mindfulness refers to the practice of increasing awareness of your body. Many people start with breathing exercises to help focus on the most basic physical processes. With time, you will learn to pay even more attention to your body. Soon, when you notice you are sitting awkwardly, you will notice quickly and correct yourself.
Sit Correctly
Many people sit in a chair for a long period of time every day, either because of their jobs or because of various hobbies or other circumstances. You want to get yourself a chair that supports good posture. However, you can sit properly in just about any chair given to you. Start by sitting at the edge of your seat to force yourself to support your back. You should also get up and move every now and then to avoid staying in one position for too long.
Your chiropractor or another physical health professional can work with you for back pain management. In addition to helping you correct your posture, they may have exercise recommendations or other suggestions that can help reduce your back pain. They’ll talk to you about your lifestyle as well to see what kinds of adjustments can be made in your day-to-day life.
Good posture can make you look taller and more confident. It can also help you when it comes to back pain management. If fixing your posture still doesn’t resolve the back pain, make an appointment with a chiropractor.