Your head weighs around 10 – 12 pounds, and several muscles in your neck and shoulders are required to hold it up straight. When you spend all day looking down at your phone, these muscles will lose their strength over time.

 

While this degeneration won’t be immediate, one day you might notice that properly holding your head up is no longer easy and painless. Poor posture results in pressure on the neck, spine, and lower back that can cause soreness, and in some cases, injury. Constantly slouching forward can result in pinched nerves that heighten your risk for carpal tunnel and other painful conditions.

​

No matter how mindful you try to be of your posture, keeping it at the forefront of your mind 24/7 is simply not possible. Your body naturally slouches as the day goes on, and unfortunately, looking down at your phone constantly will only undo your mindful efforts.

​

What can you do to improve your sitting posture?

The human body wasn’t created to stay in the same position for extended amounts of time. In order to correct your posture while sitting, you need to implement the following tips:

​

Change up your environment

The best way to improve your posture is to regularly change up your stance. For example, sit-stand desks and other arrangements that allow you to pick between a variety of seated or standing positions are perfect for long workdays. 

Taking time to stretch every hour, tuck your chin, and move around is ideal for increasing your blood flow and activating the muscles that’re being neglected as you slouch. 

​

Properly positioning your arms   

It’s easy to overlook your arms when thinking about posture, but they’re actually one of the most important factors. When sitting at your computer, your hands and forearms should rest comfortably on top of your desk without needing to flex as you type.

​

Properly positioning your eyes 

Craning your neck forward while sitting at a desk is one of the worst things you can do to your posture. To avoid this, raise your computer monitor high enough so that your eyes fall just one or two inches from the top of the screen. Your head should also be squarely positioned atop your neck and shoulders.

​

Egoscue exercises

The egoscue method is a proven exercise regimen designed to fix your posture with corrective movements. These exercises are easy but effective, and are specially crafted to physically, subconsciously, and permanently retrain your muscles so that you can sit, walk, sleep, and stand without discomfort or pain.

​

The majority of chronic pain is caused by poor posture. Using the egoscue method, you can get on track to permanent pain relief without surgery, drugs, or side effects. Dr. John at Independence Wellness & Pulse Center is one of the only Egoscue-Certified Postural Alignment Specialists in Louisiana. See how egoscue can change your life and request an appointment today!