It is a cliché but true that people should pay attention to their body posture. Unfortunately, bad posture has been on the rise since the advent of white-collar jobs and other activities that require prolonged sitting. In addition to this, bad posture can also be traced down to other factors such as unhealthy fashion trends, weight gain, incessant texting, ageing, poor mental state, and even genetics.
Seeing how many factors can be responsible for bad posture, it is safe to deduce that it can be quite hard to maintain a good posture, yet, crucial.
Here are some ways in which you can prevent bad posture and ensure the body functions in its prime:
Avoid Sitting For Too Long
Prolonged sitting has become commonplace in today’s world due to the nature of most jobs and the requirements of the Internet age. Yet, this seemingly harmless practice has been found to take its toll on the human body if not curtailed. When it comes to posture, prolonged sitting has a direct relationship with bad posture; the more you sit, the more you are likely to slouch, and the more you slouch, the worse your posture becomes. Find more about sitting and the ways in which you can curtail it here
Avoid the “Text Neck”
As a generation who relies heavily on technology, we tend to spend a lot of time on our smartphones. While this is not a bad thing in itself, the manner in which this is done may have negative effects on body posture in the long run. The goal, therefore, is not to eliminate phone use but to find ways in which you can maintain the alignment of your spine while making use of your phone. You can do this is to bring you phone to neck level while texting with your hands as opposed to leaving it at stomach level which may cause you to slump over and develop a kind of poor posture called forward head posture or “text neck”.
Invest In A Firm Mattress
The body needs to be in alignment in order for it to function properly and be in good form. One of the ways we can achieve this is by sleeping on a firm mattress. A firm mattress will ensure that your spine is kept in symmetry and thus encourage good posture.
Invest In The Right Pair Of Shoes And Regulate How You Wear Them
The clothing you wear can affect your posture to a certain degree. Heels, for instance, can throw your weight off balance and send your body into misalignment. Although they are a necessary clothing item for ladies, heels can be alternated with a pair of flat shoes or slippers to reduce the amount of pressure on the body, and hence prevent bad posture.
When It All Boils Down To Heredity And Genetics
Some kinds of bad posture tend to run in families. These are usually harder to treat and may require the intervention of a doctor. Some of these postural problems include Scheuermann’s kyphosis, – which has been found to be predominant in adolescents – and structural scoliosis – which usually affects adolescent girls.
Featured Image Source: Healthline
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