Most people will get back pain at some point in their lives. It may come from a sports related injury or accident. However, often times upper and lower back pain develops during daily life. Repetitive activities such as sitting at a computer or carrying weighted objects may create muscle tension and tightness. Over a long period of time, this may result in pain and impaired posture. Improving posture is one solution for preventing back pain during day to day life.
Posture Overview
Posture is the ideal way to position your body when standing, sitting, or performing tasks. In simpler terms, good posture means your bones and joints are aligned.
3 Exercises to Improve Posture
Disclaimer: Do NOT perform these if you are experiencing sharp pain, numbness, or tingling.
- Chin Tucks – Keep your head and eyes straight forward. Bring your chin towards your neck without moving your head up or down. Repeat for 2 sets of 10.
- Scapular Squeezes – Keep your shoulder blades down. Without shrugging, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Repeat for 2 sets of 10.
- Seated Pelvic Tilt – Without moving your thigh or leg, tilt your pelvis forward and arch your low back as shown in picture A. Then contract your abdominals and try to round your low back as shown in picture B. Move your pelvis through its available motion and repeat for 2 sets of 15.
How Can Physical Therapy Help?
You should not have any pain or limitations during work or day to day activities. A physical therapist can help identify the muscles that are not firing correctly. Physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles required to maintain ideal posture throughout the day.
CALL RESPIRE today at 703-671-1871 to schedule an evaluation or visit our website for more information!
Tags: poor posture, pain relief, return to work, Physical Therapy, posture, posturalcontrol, motor control, posture control, pain at work
