Do you slouch in your office chair at work? Are you starting to notice rounded shoulders with your neck protruding forward? you stand up at 5 P.M. and feel like your back resembles a If you answered "Yes" to these questions, you are part of a growing trend of people who experience postural problems from working in an office. Slouching all day in an office chair forces your chest muscles to tighten, which pulls your spine forward and rotates your shoulders inward, while at the same time weakening the muscles of your upper back that aid in posture. In other words, you start looking like a hunchback and may experience pain in your neck, lower back, and even arms and legs. The good news is that Postural Kyphosis, the clinical term for this condition, is completely reversible. exercises below can relieve chest tightness and strengthen your upper back muscles to help you look more like superman and lessChoose 3 of the 5 exercises (one must be a
chest exercise) to complete a few times per week until yourBefore starting any exercise program, be sure to consult with your doctor. A guide by Built Lean: Facing the corner of a wall, extend your right arm and put your hand against the side of the wall. Turn your body left and lean forward as you feel the stretch in your chest and shoulder. sure to keep your arm in line with the plane of your shoulder as you complete the stretch. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and complete on both sides for 3 sets. Chest Compression With A Massage Ball In addition to stretching, deep tissue massage using a tennis, or massage ball can help restore muscle flexibility in your chest. Holding a massage ball with both hands, press the ball and slowly roll it around the side of your chest. As you move the ball around, apply steady pressure to areas of tightness to relieveMassage for 30 seconds on each side of your chest and complete for 3 sets.
Upper Back Foam Rolling Foam rolling is another massage technique that can improve your spine mobility and correct rounded shoulders. Lay the foam roller across the spine in the middle of your back right below yourYour knees should be bent, feet firmly planted against the ground, and hands comfortably behind your head. Lifting your hips off the ground, roll forward so the foam roller travels down your back an inch, then drop your hips to the floor. Repeat until the foam roller is hovering a couple inches below your neck, then slowly roll back down following the same pattern. If you feel any areas of stiffness, stay roll back and forth on top of the area for 10-15 seconds. Complete this exercise for 3 sets going up, down, and up again. You may feel some pain and discomfort the first few times you complete this exercise, but over time, your upper back mobility The Prone Y Extension accomplishes a lot in one exercise: it
rotates your shoulders outward, stretches your abdomen (which is normally flexed), stretches your chest, and strengthens your lower back extensor muscles, along with the upper back muscles Lie flat on the floor with your legs shoulder width apart and your arms extended in a "Y" over your head. Lift your torso off the ground while simultaneously externally rotating your shoulders so that your palms are facing upwards. position for 5-10 seconds, then lower down. Repeat for 3 sets of The Close Grip Row can be completed seated using a cable machine, or standing using a resistance band demonstrated in the photo Wrap the resistance band around a stable object at chest level and walk back a few feet until you feel moderate tension on theYour arms should be extended with a slight bend in your knees and feet placed shoulder width apart. Keeping your head up, shoulders back, chest out, back straight, and abs tight, slowly pull the bands toward the sides of your torso while squeezing
Slowly resist the band until your arms areComplete 3 sets of 15 repetitions. To complement the exercises above, work in these everyday techniques into your business day: Be Conscious of Your Posture To ensure long term changes, it is critical that you become more conscious of posture when standing and sitting. human beings are not designed to sit in an office all day. Getting out of your office chair to walk around several times throughout the day can go a long way. Follow A Balanced Exercise Program If you are doing a lot of bench press, curls, and crunches, in combination with slouching in a chair all day long, kyphosis canBe sure to stretch your chest muscles and incorporate leg and back exercises into your fitness routine. structured fitness program can help improve your posture, functional strength, and overall health and well-being. are not regularly exercising, I would put it as #1 on your To-Do Use Proper Ergonomics At Work
The monitor should be placed at arm's length directly in front of you at 15- 30 degrees below your line of sight. should form a 90 degree angle as you type and your legs should form a 90 degree angle as you sit. Keep your shoulders back, chest out, head up and use a wrist pad placed directly behind the By incorporating these exercises and tips into your daily habits, you will enjoy improved posture, health, and confidence. video demonstration of each exercise mentioned in this article, check out How To Correct Rounded Shoulders onIn case you haven't heard, sitting is the new smoking. And to make matters worse, it appears that no level of physical activity undoes the damage of too many sedentary hours. But what's the average desk jockey to do? While some employers spring for standing desks, others have left it up to employees themselves to craft DIY standing workstations. Still others have turned to (at least slightly) more active alternatives to the standard desk chair -- chairs that allow you to wobble, bounce and otherwise engage your muscles as you sit.
"The dynamic chairs do offer benefits," says Line Barlund, a senior ergonomist with Ergo Concepts, LLC, who also works as the project director for the nationwide ergonomic program at AOL, the parent company of The Huffington Post. Their biggest benefit comes from their ability to let us sit a little higher than usual, which increases our hip angles, she says. A more open hip angle not only activates the core muscles, but helps us keep more of a natural curve in our spine, called the lumbar lordosis. "Usually when we're sitting, we pull the pelvis under us more," she says, which can lead to disc pressure and other back pain. Because most of us are lacking in core strength (sorry), we'll likely be inclined to slouch, even on these posture-promoting stools and chairs. But as soon as you start slouching "or getting out of that neutral posture position [or] leaning on your desk," says Barlund, "it's a sign you're getting tired and your muscles are giving up on you a little bit." Don't expect to last the entire workday your first time.
"They are good tools for building posture and really great as occasional chairs," she stresses. Like any new activity, sitting on an unstable seat is going to take some practice, and as soon as your form starts slipping, it's time to move on to something more supportive. There's not necessary one active-sitting solution for everyone, says Barlund, which is why we put nine options currently on the market to the test. Ideally, you'll want to look for something that's height-adjustable, so you can use it as a chair and as more of a standing aid to lean back on. Also, look for something lightweight, since you'll be swapping it for your regular desk chair pretty regularly as you build up that core strength. Make sure it's stable enough that you won't go tumbling to the ground. And don't forget to look for something with a comfortable, cushy seat! People with existing back problems -- like bulging or herniated discs -- may find sitting whatsoever too painful, says Barlund. Be sure to discuss an alternative seat with your doctor if you have known back issues.
Check out some thoughts from our team of testers below. Benefits: Active engagement of those core muscles -- and the ball can't roll away!How It Felt: Much more secure than sitting on a ball without feet, which likely makes it a little easier on muscles. Still, it encourages fidgeting because a spill won't catapult the ball across the office. It's a comfy, squishy seat, but not all that active. Benefits: This stool encourages movement in all directions, requiring core-muscle engagement.How It Felt: Even the flexibility of the stool is adjustable, so you can adjust how much you bounce and wiggle, eventually making it more difficult as you grow comfortable Swopping. It felt surprisingly sturdy to our testers, and the seat is quite plush, but one of our testers noted if it was too bouncy, it started to distract from work tasks at hand. Benefits: The rounded bottom makes for very natural tilting motion in all directions, so your core muscles will work overtime to keep you balanced.
The Wobble Stool is also adjustable enough to work as a seat and as a standing aid.How It Felt: The consensus among our testers was that the seat could use slightly more cushion, especially on its angled sides. The base allows movement in all directions, which many of our testers noted as particularly fun. A few wished it had an even lower setting to fit perfectly at our desks, but overall it was one of the biggest hits. Height Adjustable: Only by how much the ball is inflatedAssembly Required: Yes, but at least it came with a foot pump!Price: $149 at Pottery Barn TeenBenefits: Thanks to the bouncy nature of the ball, this also targets the core muscles, and once again, the ball can't roll away!How It Felt: Like sitting on any other ball, with an additional dose of fun. Just don't plan on sitting on one of the furry ones in your best black suit if you don't have a lint roller nearby! Benefits: The saddle position is optimal for opening the hips because it lowers the thighs, promoting that natural curve in the spine.
How It Felt: While this option certainly doesn't have the bells and whistles of some of the others we tested, it got major points for a soft, cushiony seat and created instantaneous posture adjustments. Because of its sturdy nature, though, one of our testers noted it was easy to find herself slouching on the Saddle Seat. Height Adjustable: No, but available for purchase in three different heightsAssembly Required: NoPrice: This European import is tricky to get your hands on in the U.S., with only one retailer in Chicago, but you can nab it for €339 at Wigli.nlBenefits: By allowing pelvic motion in all directions, the Wigli makes you work even harder to keep yourself balanced.How It Felt: Tough. You cannot zone out while sitting on this ultra-wiggly (they aren't kidding with that name) stool. "This one really forced me to use my core and keep my feet flat on the ground in order to sit up straight," one of our testers noted. Compared to some of the other options, there's not a lot of cushion.
This probably isn't an all-day option... unless you want to risk what one tester called "semi-permanent flattening." Benefits: Like other ball-based options, this requires core muscle engagement -- and the ball can't roll away. Plus, this setup has the additional benefit of some low-back support.How It Felt: Some of our testers noted that the low-back support didn't quite match their bodies perfectly; it may take some tinkering with the level of inflation of the ball to find your perfect position. Otherwise, this was a comfy and sturdy option. Benefits: The curved base of this stool means you're always moving, encouraging core muscles to engage.How It Felt: Keep in mind the Buoy was not designed to be an all-day desk chair. Still, there's not a lot of padding, and it doesn't allow for as much range throughout the hips. "As a fidgeter, this chair is up my alley," one of our testers noted, thanks to its rounded base. Despite all that movement it inspires, the Buoy felt surprisingly stable to our testers.