Hear what physiotherapist Aly McComb has to say about which stretches are best to improve your posture.
Most people have memories of individuals reminding them to sit properly, stand
properly, and sleep in a proper position. Ever since we were young, we have been
nagged about it. It turns out, these people had a good point!
Body posture is important for maintaining overall health, and in our society, most
people sit in one place working the entire day. This can lead to various health problems.
Proper posture keeps your bones aligned and helps to minimize pain.
When you maintain good posture, the tension or stress that gets built upon the
body is evenly distributed to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. So have you
ever wondered what you can do during your workday to help? We want to share
the best stretches that can be done at your desk to improve your posture and
mitigate pain related to desk work.
Stretch with hands behind head:
Clasp your hands behind your head, at the base of the skull. Sit upright and gently push your head back into your hands to feel a stretch at the base of the
neck.
Stretch with armpit sniff:
Sit on one of your hands to keep your shoulder still. Gently tilt your head away from your immobilized arm to feel a stretch in the side of the neck. If desired, you can also rotate your head downwards to shift the stretch to the back of the neck.
Eagle arm stretch:
Clasp your forearms together as if you are doing the "Eagle Arms" in yoga. Gently pull your hands away from your body, and shift your arms up and down to feel a stretch between your shoulder blades.
Pec stretch:
Place your hand on an immobile surface, and twist away from your hand to create a stretch in the front of the chest. Adjust the height of your hand to adjust the angle of the stretch.
Twist stretch:
Place one hand on the opposite knee and pull your torso to twist over the side. This will gently stretch the muscles of your trunk and side. You can also look over your twisting shoulder to add in the neck.
Next time you are sitting at your desk, take the time to go through these stretches. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
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