Good Posture: 2 Exercises to Prevent Strain from Working at a Computer Screen

People have lost the habit of walking, running, and standing for long periods of time. With less use, the muscles in your back and legs weaken, your posture slumps, and imbalances and pain set in… Stand up and observe how you’re standing: are your legs completely straight, your lower back arched and your stomach sticking out, your upper back hunched and your shoulders slumped, your arms hanging limply? If you’re a woman, isn’t one of your shoulders higher than the other from always carrying your 10-kilogram handbag on the same side?

If you sometimes experience pain in your lower back, shoulders, and neck due to poor posture, maintaining good standing posture as often as possible will help relieve some of the pressure on your vertebrae and prevent new pain from developing as much as possible.

You sit all day… but are you sitting properly? Learn how to sit up straight to keep your back healthy and avoid ending the day hunched over and sore.

Sit on the edge of your chair with your feet at a 90-degree angle beneath your knees. Spread your knees hip-width apart. Grab the flesh of your buttocks (yes, you read that right!)—first on the right, then on the left—and roll it backward to release it, so you’re sitting on your sit bones (the small bones in your buttocks).

Tuck your chin slightly toward your chest to stretch the back of your neck. Imagine that you’re suspended from the ceiling by a string attached to the top of your head.

Place your hands on your knees or your desk: you’re now sitting up straight! Notice that your spine has straightened and your lower abdominal muscles have tightened.

If your lower back is too arched, place one hand on your stomach and the other on your back, and pull your stomach in slightly to straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back, then down, to straighten your upper back and move your shoulders away from your ears.

When you're sitting for a long time, adjust your chair to provide lumbar support.

Do you slouch, carry a bag that’s too heavy, or have back pain by the end of the day? To protect your lower back and boost your confidence, stand up straight!

Take off your shoes and stand up. Lift your right foot off the ground and raise your toes. Press the ball of your right big toe into the floor, then the ball of your right little toe, the outer edge of your right heel, and finally the inner edge of your right heel. Lower your toes back to the floor: your kneecap has engaged and your right thigh has contracted. Do the same with your left foot, keeping your legs hip-width apart.

Place your hands on your hips and point your tailbone downward while gently pushing your glutes forward and pulling your belly in to tilt your pelvis backward (i.e., move your pelvis backward) and straighten your lower back. Imagine pressing your lower back against a wall behind you. Feel your core muscles engage. Roll your shoulders back and down to release tension in your neck. Tuck your chin in slightly to lengthen your neck. Imagine you’re suspended from the ceiling by an invisible thread extending from the top of your head. This yoga pose, Mountain Pose, makes you as steady as a rock. Breathe three times to imprint it in your mind, then return to your natural posture… and feel the difference!

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