Back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches. Sound familiar?
At some stage in your life, ‘posture’ would have come up in conversation. Whether it came up as an anecdote at a dinner party or was corrected in the line-up for your yearbook photos, the importance of posture has been lingering for a while, but it’s not until we experience pain that we start to give our posture the attention it deserves.
So what exactly is good posture?
Good posture comes down to a neutral spine, which is supported and balanced equally by surrounding muscles.
Without correct posture, you might be at increased risk of falls, especially if you are an older adult. Postural instability in older adults and those with disabilities can lead to fear and anxiety about falling. This can impact the quality of a person’s life and is partly why it is so important for people to learn postural and movement awareness.
The benefits of posture correction are; relief from back pain, fewer tension headaches, improved circulation and digestion, expanded lung capacity and increased self-confidence.
What causes poor posture?
Bad posture is often a result of poor physical habits that are developed at a young age. The way that we sit at our desks all day, or the conditions that we work in can play a big factor for many. But for others, poor posture may have been caused by a genetic condition, an injury or old age.
In nearly all of these situations, there is an underuse of back muscles. The old saying, “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it”, can tell us a lot about poor posture. To improve, you need to train your muscles back to life.
Of course, this will look different based on each unique case, but for most people the way forward is simple. Give yourself a month to establish a new posture correction program, as research shows that it can take 3 to 8 weeks to develop a new routine.
It is recommended that you speak with a medical professional before you undertake a new health program.
Simple ways you can correct your posture
Before you pull out the wallet to drop a few hundred dollars on posture treatments, consider this recommended routine.
- Regular exercise – start your day off with a brisk walk around the block, it will help improve your overall health as well as your posture.
- Allow 10 minutes of your day to do simple stretches (Youtube is a great resource for free video routines).
- Join group exercise classes such as yoga, pilates and aqua aerobics. You will benefit from having a professional supervise your movements, as well as encouragement from a like-minded community. These exercises are available for all different levels of fitness and can be a great start point for those who require gentle movement.
- Once a day, for about three minutes, try to lie flat on your back on a level surface, such as the ground. Allow your body to relax as it readjusts itself to its natural resting position.
- Wear flat shoes to help with even weight distribution.
While we can’t change our bone structure, we can improve our overall body awareness. We will offer a wellness class every Monday this month to help improve our residents’ posture movement and health. To learn more about how we can help you, please get in touch with our Wellness Program team by calling 9285 3015 or by emailing wellness@oceangardens.com.au.
