Bad posture… what is that?

With more people working from home during COVID, there has been a lot of theories on how long periods of poor posture can affect the body. Here is what we know:

Move through posture/positions.

Evidence and research have found that posture does not directly relate to causing injury/pain. Rather the accumulative load of one position, has been found to cause issues due to continuous larger loads through trunk muscles. Poor endurance often leads to fatigue, relying on other structures like ligaments and joints.

What would we suggest? Move positions! Get up out of your chair; stand up; kneel, walk around, dance (literally anything).

Mobilise. 

1a) Tx openers

1b) Thread the needle

 

 

 

 

1c) Tx extension

Hip flexor tightness.

When you are sitting at a desk, your hips and knees are bent, this can lead to a tightening of your hip flexors and hamstrings. Using a computer or writing at a desk can result in rounded shoulders and tight chest muscles.

Strengthen.

The current guidelines for strengthening are 2-3 times per week with 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps of each major muscle group. Focus on compound movements, moving through a full range of motion, but start at your own level and get help from a professional if you’re new to strength training.