Get Your Good Posture Back! Effective Exercises for a Healthy Spine

It seems everyone is in a hurry these days and healthcare professionals are no exception. People hurry to go to work, hurry to get home, and hurry at work.  This hurrying life often appears in our posture and as our heads move forward, our shoulders tighten and even our torso leans forward as if trying to cross the finish line before the rest of the body. This forward posture can lead to neck, shoulder and back pain, and can also cause headaches. If you, or one of your patients, is experiencing these symptoms regularly, try these easy posture exercises to see if they can lessen the problem. They are also good after a hard day at work.

These three exercises strengthen your postural muscles and align your skeleton so that muscles aren’t compensating for poor posture. Do these exercises three times a week for about 10 minutes and your posture will start improving in just two weeks:

1. Stand against a wall with head and shoulders touching the wall and shoulders down as if someone is pushing on them. Heels should be against the wall.
2. Press your body against the wall and try to get rid of all the spaces behind your neck, lower back and knees. Keep your head straight. Step away from the wall. This is your body’s natural alignment. Feel strange? Practice holding this alignment for 5 minutes.
3. Sit in a chair with your back straight and keep your eyes focused directly ahead of you. Again, keep your shoulders down as if someone is pressing on them. Gently pull your chin straight back. Your head and neck should be directly aligned and you should feel light tension at the back of your neck. This is the proper position for your head and body. Hold this position for five seconds, relax and then repeat 20 times.
4. Stand against a wall, once again, and get into position described in exercise number one. Lift arms out to sides while keeping heels,  ody and head in contact with the wall with as little space as possible between body and wall. Raise arms as high as possible while maintaining contact with the wall (feels like you’re making a snow angel with your arms on the wall). Hold arms high for 15 seconds and then lower down to your sides. Repeat 10 times.

Having a good posture not only helps reducing back and neck pain but it also improves your mind and body. Take a break from sitting all day and focus on these posture exercises to align your body.

If you have a specific fitness question for Alice, she can be contacted at . 

About the Author: Alice Burron is an affiliate spokesperson and highly successful personal trainer for the American Council on Exercise.She earned a master’s in physical education with an emphasis in exercise physiology from the University of Wyoming and is a leading national fitness and wellness program expert.   

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