Back Exercises to Improve Your Posture at Work
You're slouching right now, aren't you? Bad posture reduces your energy, cut off your circulation, and increase feelings of depression. Add all this to sitting for long periods of time and you've got a potential health risk on your hands.
If you sit at a desk for your job, it can be difficult to avoid the dangers of sitting and slouching. However, we have some easy exercises you can use to improve your posture gradually.
Keep your ears in line with your shoulders
If you’re leaning too far forward or backward, your posture is off-kilter. Use this trick whenever you’re sitting at your desk.
Practice shoulder and chest exercises
Here are a couple exercises to try:
Try doing a wall angel. This exercise is where you stand up against a wall with your legs spread shoulder-width apart, and hold your arms up at 90-degree angles. Slowly raise your arms up and down. Do this at least 15 times.
Do shoulder shrugs where you lift and lower your shoulders up and down. The movement will loosen you up.
Uncross your legs
Place your feet flat on the ground. That’s the correct way to sit in a chair. Don’t cross your legs or stick them out in front of you.
If keeping your feet completely flat is uncomfortable, try propping your feet up on something.
Pull back your shoulder blades
Drawing our shoulders back and down will bring your chest up and out. This exercise can also help you avoid getting rounded shoulders.
Use a lumbar support pillow
Invest in a good lumbar support pillow. The pillow supports your spine and forces into the correct position every time you sit.
Get up and move frequently
Sitting for long periods of time is really bad for your body. Your blood flows slower, abdominal muscles get weaker, bones get thinner due to inactivity and your life expectancy decreases.
Unless you use a standing desk, it's difficult to avoid sitting all day.
Getting up and moving every hour or so helps. Try integrating short walks (up some stairs or around the parking lot) improves your concentration and efficiency.
Easy exercises you can do at your desk
Here are some exercises you can do while sitting at your desk:
Sit upright and lift your arms overhead, keeping your elbows straight. Interlace your fingers and bend slowly to the right side, then the left side.
Cross your left leg over your right leg. Cross your body, placing your right arm over your left leg. Look over your left shoulder and slightly twist your body. Repeat this on the opposite side.
Stretch out your left leg, pointing your toes forward. Then point your toes upward. Repeat this five times, then do it with the other leg.
