- 1. Use a very heavy backpack or bag
- 2. Sit with a crooked back
- 3. Lifting weights without bending your knees
- 4. Sleep on your stomach
- 5. Tidy up the house with your back bent
- 6. Spend many hours in the same position
- 7. Cross your legs
- Treatment to improve posture
- How to prevent bad posture
There are common habits that hinder posture, such as sitting cross-legged, lifting a very heavy object or using the backpack on one shoulder, for example.
Generally, spinal problems, such as back pain, having a herniated disc or hunching, appear slowly and are the result of habits that have been adopted over the years, so the best solution is to avoid incorrect postures early on.
Some of the health-damaging postural habits include:
1. Use a very heavy backpack or bag
Generally, individuals, especially children and adolescents, wear very heavy backpacks and often support only on one shoulder, which can cause changes in the spine, such as hernias, as the weight of the bag or backpack becomes unbalanced and, pushes the shoulder down and the hip is also crooked.
Correct posture: A backpack should be worn on both shoulders, with the straps tight, adjusted to the back and the maximum weight you should carry is 10% of the person's weight. For example, a child weighing 20 kg should carry a backpack with a maximum of 2 kg.
In addition, in the case of using a bag, one must choose one with a cross handle or in the case of supporting the bag on only one shoulder, it must be avoided that it is too big and too heavy.
2. Sit with a crooked back
Sitting in the chair with a crooked torso, leaning or with crossed legs, can cause muscle pain, however, the case becomes more serious when the individual works daily sitting, for example at the computer, and adopts a wrong posture.
Correct posture: When sitting down, you should fully lean your back and push your hips back until your butt touches the back of the chair seat. In addition, your feet should support your feet on the floor and your arms should be on the table with your elbows supported. Read more at: Correct posture on the computer.
3. Lifting weights without bending your knees
Normally, to pick up objects on the floor, we bend our backs forward, however, this posture weakens the back muscles and bends the spine.
Correct posture: When picking up an object on the floor, you should do a squat, bending your knees slowly, keeping your feet apart and avoiding tilting your spine, keeping it straight. After picking up the object, it must be carried close to the body.
4. Sleep on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach and with your head turned to the side can cause back pain and damage the intervertebral joints of the neck, and this position can still lead to stiff neck.
Correct posture: Lie on your side, placing a pillow under your head and another between your legs, or lie on your back, slightly bending your legs and placing a thin pillow under your knees.
In addition, a firm, foam mattress should be used that distributes the body weight evenly.
5. Tidy up the house with your back bent
Normally, in household chores it is common to bend your back forward while tidying up the house, wiping or sweeping the floor, for example. This posture overloads the joints, causing pain in the back and neck.
Correct posture: In these cases, it is essential to do the tasks keeping your back always straight. Opting for taller broom handles can help maintain good posture for household chores.
6. Spend many hours in the same position
Generally, when spending many hours in the same position, doing repeated tasks, such as sitting at the computer or at the supermarket checkout or even standing in stores, for example, it causes back pain, it can lead to swelling of the legs and feet, poor blood circulation and constipation.
See what happens to your body if you spend many hours sitting.
Correct posture: Ideally, you should walk from side to side for 5 minutes every hour in the same position, stretching and stretching your legs, arms and neck to avoid swelling and back pain.
7. Cross your legs
The habit of crossing the legs impairs the posture since there is an unevenness of the hips causing the lumbar spine to be more inclined to one side.
Correct posture: Sit down, with legs slightly ajar, feet flat on the floor and shoulders slightly bent back.
Treatment to improve posture
The treatment of postural changes, such as hyperkyphosis or hyperlordosis, can be guided by the orthopedist together with the physiotherapist because in some cases it may be necessary to wear an orthopedic vest or perform spinal surgery.
In any case, physiotherapy is indicated because it helps to reduce pain and the feeling of heaviness and muscular tiredness, being very useful to realign bone structures, reducing to a minimum, or even curing hyperkyphosis or hyperlordosis, for example.
One of the ways to treat postural changes with physiotherapy can be done through Global Postural Reeducation (RPG), where specific devices and exercises are used to improve posture and other symptoms related to poor posture.
How to prevent bad posture
To avoid bad posture it is important to:
- Do physical exercise at least 2 times a week to strengthen the muscles, especially the back; Stay in superman position for 5 minutes a day to prevent scoliosis or lordosis, for example. Find out how to do it: Correct posture improves quality of life. Stretch at work for 3 minutes, 1 or 2 times a day, as it helps to relax and reduce tension in the muscles, preventing back, arm and neck pain. Here's how to do it: 3 Stretching exercises to do at work.
In addition to these tips to prevent bad posture, losing weight, in case the person is overweight is essential to achieve a more correct and healthy posture.
If you are looking for well-being and quality of life you have to watch this video:
If you liked this information read more at: 5 tips to achieve the correct posture
