Exercises to improve posture

It’s important to note that the best exercises to improve posture will vary from person to person, depending on the specific issues that they may need to work on. However for some of the common causes of posture you may find it helpful to dedicate just 3 minutes a day to these simple exercises.

Tighten your pelvis

When your pelvis is functioning correctly, it makes it more difficult to have incorrect posture elsewhere. Pull the skin below your belly button in toward your spine – this strengthens the muscles which hold the pelvis stable. Make sure you maintain a little curve in the small of your lower back. Not too little, not too much. Your chiropractor can check this for you

Focus on lifting your chest, not just tucking your head back

In many cases, forward head posture is accompanied by rounded shoulders and a slouched upper back posture.

Simply retracting your head will not correct the problem. Imagine you have a helium balloon attached to each of your chest muscles, and they are lifting them toward the ceiling.

Many times, just lifting the chest causes a natural retraction of issues like forward head posture. Again, try to do this as often as you can in order for your body to adopt this as a regular habit.

Perform “chin retractions”

A great way to re-program yourself to get rid of forward head posture is to perform 10 chin retractions every hour on the hour throughout the day. Remember to do this gently and slowly, it shouldn’t hurt at all.

If you do this throughout an 8 hour workday, along with lifting your chest, you will have done 80 postural corrections!

This will help you re-pattern your posture easily and effectively.

Our Chiropractor’s can give you advice on suitable exercises to address posture issues.

For more great daily exercises to improve your posture and health, call your local Chiropractic & Allied Health Clinic today or visit Straighten Up Australia.