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Kick your Bad Posture Habits- How to ‘Centre Yourself’ to quit painful positions!

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All too often I see people in the clinic complaining of stiffness and soreness in their upper back, neck and shoulders. 😥

I always ask about how their pain started, their work setup, and assess their muscles and joints (among other things). It wasn’t until I started doing workplace assessments that I realised an important piece of the puzzle was missing!

When I got to see people in their work environment something stood out…
the poor posture habits they had at their desk!

Most people don’t realise, until they’re challenged about it, that they inadvertently fall into weird and not-so wonderful positions when they’re concentrating on their work. 😳

I should know- I’m guilty too! 😬

If I’m concentrating on work (not my posture) I can find myself leaning on my left forearm while I’m using my mouse in my right hand.

How about you? What do you tend to do out of habit when you sit?

And it’s not just while we’re working…

What about while we’re driving (elbow up on the window sill anyone?)
And when we’re on our smartphone or tablet, leaning off to one side while we scroll/ text with the other (mmm, that could be me leaning on my elbow at the table)?

We all need to give ourselves a little pep-talk…

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Top Tip to take Strain off your Neck, Shoulders and Upper Back

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Having the weight of your head forwards relative to your shoulders puts so much strain on your neck, upper back and shoulders.

 

Often called ‘Forward Head Posture’ or ‘Poke Chin Posture’ this position alone is responsible to a large proportion of problems I see in people who sit at a desk.

 

But you might be totally unaware that you’re doing it!😳

 

It’s one thing we’re all probably guilty of throughout our day, but the side-effects can be devastating…

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Is your Satchel, Carrybag or Handbag Ruining your Posture?

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To answer the question, Is my carry bag ruining my posture?

Short answer, yes..

Carrying the wrong bag and carrying it poorly places heaps of strain on your shoulders, back and neck..😫

BUT, you can take steps to reduce the load your bag puts on your posture.🎉
 
How much your bag- backpack, satchel or handbag- affects your posture is determined by these things..
 
1)    The type of Bag
 
2)    How heavy it is
 
3)    The way you carry it
 
4)    Your postural strength and endurance
 
So, let’s look at these factors  and see which ones you can improve on..


1)    What type of bag do you tend to carry?

A Laptop bag?💼
A Handbag?👜
A Backpack?🎒
A gym bag?💪
 
It’s probably a ‘no-brainer’, but bags that allow you to carry your load fairly symmetrically win every time.
 
So backpacks are great- and there’s some pretty cool ones out there is you hunt around..
 
The best ones have a waist strap that allows you to distribute some weight to your hips and pelvis. That’s especially important is you have a heavy backpack, are carrying it long distances or have a sore, weak spine. 🎒

.. but maybe not ‘the look’ you’re after?

The next best option is a ‘satchel type’ bag that allows you to spread the load from one shoulder, across the chest, and the weight hand on the opposite side… more about how to carry it well later 💼
 
If you have a casual carry bag (like a gym bag), make sure it has a longer ‘over the shoulder’ handle, so you can carry it like the satchel rather than both handles. 
If not, ditch it!
 
Lastly, the Handbag. Well, ladies, we do have a tendency to fall in love with a gorgeous handbag! 👜
 
Truth is, is you wanna do your posture a favour, keep your handbag as small as you can. 
NOT choose the oversize option that allows you to fit the kitchen sink- unless it’s just for the beach!
 

2)    How heavy it is

You knew it was coming! 

Yep, it’s time to give your carry bag a spring clean 😃
 
The last time I did this, I found an industrial sized tape measure in the bottom that weighed a tonne! No wonder I was feeling weighed down L
 
So make sure you only have in it what you absolutely need so you’re not putting unnecessary strain on your body.
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This Simple Tip can Fix your Rounded Shoulders

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Have you noticed you’ve got rounded shoulders? 

Or concerned you might develop rounded shoulders?🤔

 

Let’s face it, most of us who sit at a computer or desk a lot, even with best intentions, spend a little time slumped, with rounded shoulders…😟

 

Is that harmful, you ask?

 

Well, having rounded shoulders puts heaps more load on your neck, shoulders and upper back…

 

That puts you in a poor posture that increases your risk of pain, stiffness, headaches, injury, limited breathing.. I could go on. Ahhh!😫

 

I’ve got a little tried and tested tip that helps my clients put their shoulders in a much better position to reverse that rounded-ness.. YAY!

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