Photo Courtesy of PHW Group

Guide to better posture

4 0
Read Time2 Minute, 8 Second

In the era of modern technology, teens hunch over their phone screens with their neck and head extended too far forward for long periods of time. Unfortunately this phenomenon has been the contributing factor to “tech necks,” which is recognized through symptoms of stiffness, pain, and aching around the neck and back regions. With technology’s correlation with increasingly worse posture, it is important to be mindful of the way one holds their body. Posture is key to living a healthy lifestyle and can be improved through a number of methods, such as performing stretches and workouts, wearing a posture corrector brace, and being aware of what good posture is defined as. 

Essentially, good posture means keeping one’s chin parallel to the floor, shoulders even, arms at one’s sides with elbows straight and even, distributing body weight evenly on both feet, having knees even and pointing straight ahead, and having hips even, according to Harvard Health Publishing. This can be used to determine how good one’s posture is, in addition to serving as a checklist of things to be mindful of when sitting or standing. 

While it may be difficult to always be conscientious of one’s posture, there are stretches and exercises that help one’s body adjust to the proper position. Effective stretches include the “downward-facing dog” and a high plank, which will boost core strength and open up the chest and shoulders. Instructions regarding these workouts can be found online through websites such as healthline and WebMD.

Having correct posture is incredibly important in maintaining good health and minimizing stress levels. According to healthline, specific benefits of having good posture include fewer headaches, reduced low back pain, increased energy levels, decreased tension around the shoulders and neck area, increased lung capacity, and improved circulation and digestions. Additionally, good posture helps to ensure that bones are aligned with the rest of the body, which is linked to properly distributing tension throughout muscles and ligaments. 

If the previous methods are ineffective, posture corrector braces can be purchased on Amazon or at Walmart. These devices are advertised to pull one’s shoulders back, lift one’s chest, and externally rotate one’s arms, which will help one’s body and their tissues adapt to a proper form. 

Overall, students should try to be cognizant of their posture because of the benefits associated with keeping one’s bones aligned. It should be pointed out that no matter how severe or seemingly permanent one’s posture is, it is never too late to start improving. 

Average Rating

5 Star
0%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *