{"id":14304,"date":"2012-07-06T09:07:21","date_gmt":"2012-07-06T14:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fitzness.com\/blog\/?p=14304"},"modified":"2014-10-29T10:31:15","modified_gmt":"2014-10-29T15:31:15","slug":"quick-posture-fixes-at-your-desk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitzness.com\/blog\/quick-posture-fixes-at-your-desk\/","title":{"rendered":"Ditch Back Pain with Quick Posture Fixes at your Desk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The verdict is in: our posture is terrible. We sit in front of computer screens all day with our backs rounded, necks craned forward, and our shoulders slumped forward. This combination wreaks havoc on our shoulders, thoracic spine, and lower back. Additionally, all that sitting tightens and shortens our hip flexors, further contributing to lower back pain.<\/p>\n

If your job has you chained to a desk all day there’s not need to fret. These simple tips and exercises will have you standing tall in no time!<\/p>\n

1. Shoulders back, Chest forward:<\/strong> Simply focusing on keeping your shoulder blades contracted and sticking your chest out will extend your thoracic spine (middle back) and activate your core. If you’re not used to sitting like this it will be uncomfortable at first. Just focus on maintaining this position for a longer amount of time each day. Try the BackJoy posture enhancer if you need help. <\/a><\/p>\n

2. Breathe deep: <\/strong>Breathing is something we all take for granted, but improper breathing patterns can cause problems. Look at yourself in the mirror and take a deep breath. Your shoulders shouldn’t move upwards as you inhale. The constant moving of the shoulders results in tightness in the traps and the upper back which can cause shoulder and neck pain. Focus on using your diaphragm to breathe while your sitting. It will\u00a0alleviate the strain on your shoulders and encourage proper posture while sitting.<\/p>\n

3. Move every 30 minutes:\u00a0<\/strong> This is the easiest way to encourage better posture and it’s also the most effective. Every half-hour get up and take a walk, stretch, do some pushups, or anything else you can think of. Simply standing and moving around wakes up and stretches out all the muscles which get tight and weak while we sit.<\/p>\n

Don’t let your job ruin your posture. Practice these three moves at work each day and your body will thank you!<\/p>\n

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