Now that Valentine’s Day is over, it’s time to start prepping for next year.
There’s a lot people are willing to do these days to look better. Sticking needles all over their faces, putting booty fat into their cheeks to look like a pig roasting on a spit, and
Honestly, it all sounds miserable. As a chiropractor in Springfield, IL, I’d like to suggest a less painful and free way to become instantly sexier and command more power from strangers.
Good posture is not just about looking good or showing up to a Tinder date as the actual height we listed on our profile. There are serious health ramifications to good posture that, in some instances, mean the difference between happily ever after and making it to the second date. The benefits of good posture range from smiling more to having a heart that actually works.
Benefits of Good Posture
- Reduced low back pain
- Fewer headaches
- Increased energy levels
- Less muscle tension in the neck and shoulders
- Decreased risk of abnormal joint wear and tear
- Increased lung capacity
- Improved digestion
- Improved circulation
- Improved athletic performance
- Appear taller
- Increased self-confidence
- Elevated mood
Bad posture brings an increased risk of heart attack, a weakened immune system, and an increase in early mortality.
Improving our posture may seem like a frivolous health concern that we’ll get to if we have time, but it couldn’t be more critical to our organ function and overall health. And these days, posture is under attack.
Many of us spend 8-10 hours a day in various sitting positions hunched over a computer, driving a truck, or scrolling and swiping through our phones. I mean, how else are we gonna find that Tinder date. (Don’t ask me why we’re still using Tinder.) In fact, bad posture at a computer is the #1 cause of work-related injuries. Just sitting at a computer! It’s not a car accident or a Black Friday sale; it’s sitting.
It’s time to-
Posture Exercises
These are exercises for the gym, the living room, or a home gym for our fancy readers.
Child’s Pose
We’ll start easy
- Sit on the shinbones.
- Lean forward from the hips and stretch the arms out in front.
- Sink the hips toward the feet. Remember to breathe, it’s kinda important.
- Rest the forehead on the floor.
- Keep the arms stretched out in front for 1 minute.
Cobra Pose
Ssssssss
- Lie facedown with legs extended behind.
- Place toes on the floor, legs close together, and hands on the floor.
- Spread fingers and push down, lighting the head, chest, and shoulders off the floor.
- Press the pubic bone into the floor.
- Arch the back and push chest up.
- Take deep breaths and hold this pose for 10 seconds.
- Repeat a dozen times.
Plank
It’s all about the core
- Get into a push-up position with shoulders aligned.
- Keep the back straight, and don’t drop the abs toward the floor.
- Hold for a minute at a time.
- Make sure to engage the arms, abs, and legs. This is a full-body exercise.
Cat-Cow
Me-ow
- Get up onto hands and knees with weight balanced between all four points.
- Inhale and look up, dropping the abdomen down toward the ground and extending the spine.
- Exhale and arch the spine toward the ceiling and tuck chin to chest.
- Continue until a dog starts barking.
Glute Squeeze
Perfect for the next time we need to twerk
- Roll over and lie face up with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Keep those feet hip-width apart.
- Lift the pelvis and hold for 10 seconds.
- Keep doing this until mistaken for a Kardashian.
Arm Circles
Time to stand up, lazy
- Raise the arms to the side like we’re about to take flight.
- Contract the shoulder blades.
- Rotate the arms in small circles, just out of or peripheral vision.
- Do 40 forward circles and 40 backward circles.
Chest Opener
This one is for all the corporate warriors
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Bring the arm behind the body and press palms together, interlacing fingers.
- Keep the spine aligned while gazing ahead.
- Lift the chest.
- Breathe deeply and hold this pose for five full breaths.
- Release and relax for a few breaths.
- Repeat at least 20 times.
Mountain Pose
Anyone who can’t do this should feel ashamed. Love and light!
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, keeping arms straight at the sides
- Pull shoulders back to elongate the spine, turning the arms and hands out slightly to deepen the stretch.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat until six feet tall.
Our posture degrades over a long period, with repetitive motions and bad habits we’re not even aware of, so improving it will take some time, but it’ll be worth it. Balance and support in the body allow for optimal function and performance, not to mention a decrease in neck pain, back pain, heck pain anywhere! And pain-free is the way to be.
Strengthening exercises and stretches for posture is just one of the ways to stand taller, knowing we’re healthier and better looking. At the Springfield Wellness Center, our chiropractic treatment for posture includes custom exercises in addition to chiropractic adjustments, massage, and spinal decompression. Call us or schedule a time to meet with one of our amazing doctors. After a comprehensive consultation and exam with each patient, we can design a course for chiropractic care that will help get rid of pain for good and keep that Tinder inbox full.