Bad posture has several negative effects on your body. It can affect your muscle and bone health, increase your chances of injury and even make natural body functions like digestion and breathing difficult. Being mindful of the way you sit or stand can ease chronic pains and aches that become consistent and more troublesome with time.
Dr. Mohit Kukreja, Arthroscopy & Sports Medicine Specialist, said, “Thanks to gravity our feet are grounded. But it is this gravity against which our postural muscles work so that we don’t end up face planting. It is the inherent tone of our extensors that protects our joints and ligaments from falling out of alignment and keeping our torsos upright. But those long working hours slouching on your desk, sitting cross-legged and binge watching those Netflix marathon web series takes a toll on our muscles and risks for spinal wear and tear causing chronic pain.”
Some tips to avoid postural decay.
Stop hunching
Hunching puts a strain on your spine, and constricts the inside organs like the intestines and lungs, making it difficult to digest your food.
Stop drooping
Slouching is the worst thing for your back. The ideal working posture is sitting upright on a curved office chair with a small rolled towel or a cushion behind the back, knees, and hips at the same level and feet flat on the floor.
Straighten up
Pretend you are leaning against the wall with your head upright, chin tucked in with ears, shoulders, and knees in alignment.
Stretch
The ‘tech neck’ is a real thing. If your job requires you to work on your laptop all day, it is vital for you to stretch your neck and upper back intermittently.
Resort to flats
While heels make quite the fashion statement, they alter the arch of your backbone. Meanwhile, low, flat daily footwear saves your joints and ligaments from all the strain.
Exercise
Have a daily workout plan which involves stretches and regular conditioning exercises for your joints. Low-impact activities like swimming and tai-chi improve mobility and decrease joint problems.
