A hunched or hunched back causes pain that can get worse over time. Try your best to keep your back upright to reduce the severity of the problem as you get older.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Identifying the Signs of Poor Posture
Step 1. Learn to recognize good posture
The first thing to do to improve it is simply to know what you need to observe in yourself. Check that your shoulders are back, your abdomen is tight and your chest is out. Stand in profile in front of a mirror and see if you can form a straight line from the earlobe to the center of the ankle across the shoulder, hip and knee.
- Head and Neck: Make sure your head is straight up, above your shoulders. Many people tend to carry their heads forward. If you see that the ears are aligned with the front of the chest, you need to move your head back.
- Shoulders, Arms and Hands: The arms and hands must fall to the sides of the body. In this way the shoulders assume a good posture. If you see that your arms tend to stay towards the front of your chest, you need to bring your shoulders back.
- Hips: find the right balance between a backward and forward position of the pelvis.
Step 2. Recognize the pain and discomfort
The most obvious symptom of poor posture is back and shoulder pain. If the position is not correct, the chest muscles are tense and, to compensate, they strain the muscles of the upper back. As a result, the back muscles in general weaken, causing pain and discomfort. Since the muscles of the body all work together, when one muscle group does not function properly, the others also suffer.
Not all people who assume the wrong posture experience pain or discomfort. Often the body is able to adjust and compensate
Step 3. Check your feet for "over pronation"
This problem occurs when the arch of the foot is almost completely flat, a disorder that is often also called "arch fall". The feet represent the balancing mechanism of the lower part of the body; if you have poor posture, you put too much work on your feet to maintain balance and this causes a gradual "flattening" to compensate and provide a more stable base. By improving posture, the weight of the body is supported almost exclusively by the heels, freeing the rest of the foot, which in this way can maintain its arched shape.
While "arch drop" is itself a sign of poor posture, you may also experience pain in your feet, ankles, calves, knees, hips, and lower legs in general
Step 4. Assess your mood
In a study conducted by the University of San Francisco, students were asked to walk down a corridor in a relaxed, sloping position or to stand upright and hop. Those who walked awkwardly and slumped showed a state of greater depression and general lethargy. While this may sound odd, when you think about it, body language often expresses mood. Usually, if you are angry or sad, you tend to sit crouched in a corner with your arms crossed, while when you are happy you are even more lively from a physical point of view. So you can understand well that moods affect the posture of the body. If you are feeling sad and depressed, consider improving your posture.
Part 2 of 4: Improving Posture
Step 1. Remind yourself to stand upright
Set an alarm on your phone or computer to remind you to check your posture. Put notes in every corner of the house, in the car and in the office. Sometimes all you need to ensure correct posture is simply to constantly remind yourself to reinforce intention. You need to reprogram your habits just enough to strengthen your back muscles.
Step 2. Practice yoga
This technique is particularly good for improving posture. Among the most useful exercises for this purpose are:
- The Cobra Pose: Lie on your abdomen with your hands under your shoulders and keep your fingertips forward. Then, keeping your elbows tight at your sides, try to bring your shoulder blades together. Make sure you stabilize your back by contracting your abdominal muscles. Then, slowly lift your chest upward, stretching your neck. Use your arms for support, but be sure to support yourself with your back muscles. Stay in position for the duration of 10 breaths and then lower yourself. Repeat 3 times.
- The position of the child: get on your knees with your arms above your head; the palms of the hands must be facing each other. Exhale and slowly reach forward. Lower your forehead to the ground and stretch your arms out in front of you, pressing your palms against the floor. Hold the position for a while and then return to the starting position. Repeat 6 times.
- The mountain stance: Stand upright with your feet on the ground and your heels slightly apart. Make sure the weight is evenly distributed on both feet. Lift the inside of your ankles so your feet feel like a cup. Then, squeeze your shoulder blades as if you want them to touch each other. Slowly release the contraction and finally raise your arms towards the ceiling looking straight ahead.
Step 3. Do other exercises and stretches to improve posture
These techniques are specifically aimed at the abdominal and back muscles, because they are the ones responsible for supporting the spine.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together. Pretend you are holding a balloon with your shoulder blades and squeezing it between them. Hold the position for 10 seconds. This exercise helps to stretch the front of the shoulders, which often tend to close forward due to poor posture.
- Roll your shoulders back. Stretch one shoulder forward, up, back, then lower it again. Imagine sliding the shoulder blade along the spine and then repeat with the other shoulder. This movement helps bring the shoulders further back than usual.
- Stretch your chest muscles. Grab a rolled-up towel or sheet and stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Grab the towel so that it is taut and your hands are shoulder-width apart as well. Inhale and raise your arms to shoulder height. Then, exhale and bring your arms up and back as far as you can. Hold for two full breaths, lower your arms and repeat.
Part 3 of 4: Making Changes in Your Everyday
Step 1. Choose a suitable bag
Get a bag, briefcase, or backpack that will help you distribute the weight on your back evenly. Choose a model that has wide padded straps that you can put on either shoulder.
Step 2. Get shoes that support your foot well
If you always wear high heels or thin slippers, you put extra strain on your back. Look for shoes that have a supportive sole, a square toe, and a heel no higher than 2.5cm. A higher heel tends to shift your body weight forward, leading to a sagging or too stiff posture, which is just as bad for your back.
Step 3. Learn how to sit at the computer
The feet must be flat on the floor, the back must be straight and the neck in a neutral position. This way you reduce back pain and lengthen it at the same time. You can also consider buying an ergonomic chair to promote a correct sitting position and feel more comfortable.
Step 4. Correct your sleep habits
The ideal would be to sleep on one side, with the hips bent at about 30 °. Try to bend your knees to 30 degrees as well and move your neck slightly forward on the pillow to stretch your spine.
- If you sleep on your back, consider placing a pillow under your knees and rolling a sheet or towel under your lower back. This allows you to relieve pressure on your back, reducing pain and making it easier to stretch the back.
- If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees to help keep your hips aligned.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach causes unnecessary strain on the spine which can deteriorate over time. It can also cause chronic neck and lower back pain in future years.
Step 5. Follow proper procedures for lifting weights
If you lift and carry heavy objects incorrectly, you can experience severe back pain. If you have to constantly lift a lot of heavy loads, consider wearing a lumbar support belt, which can help you maintain proper posture as you move the load. You also need to make sure you maintain proper posture:
- Bend your knees, not your back. The muscles of the legs and abdomen have the job of helping to carry and lift objects, which the back muscles do not have to do. When lifting a load, be sure to bend your knees fully instead of bending over to avoid straining your lower back.
- Keep items close to your chest. The closer they are to the chest, the less work your back will have to do to support them.
Part 4 of 4: Contact a Professional
Step 1. Get examined by the orthopedist
If your spine or back is very curved and you are having difficulty standing upright, you should see a specialist doctor. You may have scoliosis or other conditions related to the spine. In this case, the doctor often recommends wearing an orthopedic corset. Spinal surgery is very rare and extreme. There are many other methods of reducing back pain.
Step 2. Undergo the Egoscue method
Talk to a professional who specializes in this innovative therapy. He will focus, in particular, on the symptoms you are experiencing (if any), your posture, gait and other possible ailments. It will teach you how to stretch your back, focusing primarily on problem areas. It will also show you specific exercises and a stretching routine that you can practice at home.
- Most of these exercises will be aimed at increasing and improving the range of movements you can do in the hip area and lengthening the spine, relieving the tensions that are created along the spine.
- If your problem is less severe, you can consider working with a personal trainer. Let him know that you want to focus on those muscles that improve posture (especially the side ones). He will show you a series of general and stretching exercises to start getting into a better body position.
Step 3. Consult a chiropractor
He will take a series of x-rays of your back and spine, so you can measure the exact curvature of your spine and assess whether the problem is really serious. The doctor should also be able to examine each individual vertebra for malformations, slips, or misalignments. Many of these problems can be treated in the office, but if the chiropractor notices a more serious problem, they will recommend that you see an orthopedist.
Step 4. Get regular massages
Stress and constant anxiety can create tension in your back muscles and, as a result, you can get hunched over. If your life tends to be stressful, consider getting regular massages.
