Fix your posture before it damages you
Posture is a good overall indicator of the health of your muscles and we don???t look at it very often at all. Just by looking at someone standing up you can tell a lot about whether their muscles are weak, strong, tight or flexible.
Have someone stand up and take a look at them from the side. Here are some pointers on some things that could be going wrong with their posture and some suggestions on how to fix your posture before it damages you.
??? The top of the head is level and not dropped down at the forehead (ie. texting syndrome where people are constantly looking down at their phones). This can cause strain in the neck and possible headaches. Make sure your head is level. It may seem ackward at first but give it a couple of weeks and it will seem more natural.
??? The head should also be retracted back so that the neck is vertical and not angled forward. The ear should be aligned over the ball of the shoulder joint and not in front of it.
??? The shoulders should be rotated back and not rounded forwarded. Many people have their shoulders rounded forward (ie. in a slouched position) and this causes their chest to tighten up and their upper back muscles to weaken. You often see seniors with what looks like a ???hunched??? upper back. This is caused by tight chest muscles, weak upper back muscles and degenerating bones. Stand tall keeping your shoulders back for a strong posture.
??? The stomach and low back should be tall and strong. Often times you will see the stomach rounded, the hips tilted forward and the low back in an excessive arched position. You want your stomach and back to be tall and work as one unit. This has the effect of making you seem leaner in the stomach and will help reduce pain in your lower back.
??? The ball joint at the top of your leg (where the leg bone connects into your hip joint) should be aligned vertically under the shoulder joint.
??? The knee joint should also be aligned with hip and shoulder joint as well. The knees need to remain slightly bent and not locked.
??? Finally, the ankle joint should also be aligned with the knee, hip and shoulder joint.
The younger you are the easier it is to correct your posture as your muscles are generally stronger and more flexible. As you age, your muscles become stiffer and smaller. This makes it more difficult to maintain a correct posture. If you find that you have any of the issues above we recommend that you undertake both a strength training and flexibility program to help you correct and maintain a strong posture. This can be implemented at any age!
About the Author: Alex K is an online Fitness Professional providing health and wellness to the world through his online workout program Cardio Blast. Members of www.Cardioblast.com receive new cardio workouts every week, full meal planning, fitness tracking and customized online workout programs.