May is National Correct Posture Month: Did You Do Your Posture Exercise Today?
Take a Posture Picture The first step is improving posture is finding out what your posture looks like. Dr. Steven Weiniger, author of Stand Taller~Live Longer, An Anti-Aging Strategy: 10 Minutes a Day to Keep Your Body Active and Pain-Free, suggests this easy way to check your posture with any digital camera. Have a friend take 3 pictures of you: from the front, back, and side. Stand straight and tall when they take the picture, with what feels like good posture (No looking in a mirror to cheat!). Print out the pictures, one to a sheet. Next, put a dot between your feet on the front and back view, and on your ankle on the side view, and then fold each paper in half vertically, neatly at the dot. FRONT & BACK VIEW: The two halves of your body should be the same. If your head and/or torso is off to one side, or your arms are hanging differently, your posture is not symmetrical. SIDE VIEW: The line from your ankle should pass thru your shoulder and ear. If your head is way forward of that line, you may have a posture distortion called Forward Head Posture (FHP) File your posture picture where you can find it. Next year take another posture picture to note any changes. Do Posture Strengthening Exercises All exercise is not created equal. Exercising with poor posture can train you to stand and move poorly. Yoga, Tai-Chi and Pilates are all great for building body awareness and control. According to Dr. Weiniger, a smart way to exercise efficiently and get the most out of any workout is with a pre-exercise "Posture Break" to set your internal baseline. Before taking a walk or hitting the gym try a StrongPosture™ exercise from Stand Taller~Live Longer, An Anti-Aging Strategy. The first posture strengthening exercise Dr. Weiniger recommends is the Stork, to train you to stand tall while challenging your alignment by balancing on one foot. Find your best posture, and then keep straight as you lift your thigh so your knee is at hip height, and keep standing tall for 30 seconds on each side, focusing on keeping your body well aligned. Another is the WallStand, where you back up to a wall so your heels, buttocks, shoulders and head all touch, keeping everything level, relaxed and aligned, and take 3 slow breaths. Choose Smart Posture Habits Get a good chair, and change it's position during the day. If you're going to play videogames, exercise more than your thumbs with games with one that makes you move such as the Nintendo Wii or the new motion sensing Xbox Natal. Invest in quality shoes, and consider using a shoe insert or orthotic, especially if you've had foot problems. If you have back pain, neck soreness, or other posture problem--- or want to find out how strengthening your posture can improve sports performance (ie golf, tennis, baseball) and wellness-- help is available. Consult a Certified Posture Exercise Professional (C.P.E.P.) or other chiropractor, PT or massage therapists trained to analyze posture pictures and teach individualized 10 minute StrongPosture™ exercise routines for pain management and wellness. Your posture is how the world sees you, and a bit of effort at strengthening your posture is an anti-aging habit to make you look and feel better, avoid injury and exercise effectively to stay active and age well. About Author Dr. Steven Weiniger is a recognized expert on posture and author of Stand Taller~Live Longer- An Anti-Aging Strategy, the self help guide to posture exercise. He is also senior editor of BodyZone.com, and online wellness resource which offers a national directory for C.P.E.P.s (Certified Posture Exercise Professional) and other posture professionals. Disclaimer: Article submitters are solely responsible for the content of their articles. ArtiLib can't be held liable for the contents of the articles. Report Abuse | Browse By Category |
| Contact ArtiLib| Privacy Policy| Terms of Service |