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Secret Steps To Good Posture!

By Andrew Voris

Proper posture is vital both at work and at home.

Posture plays an important part in preventing or managing back pain during any activity. Bad posture while sitting in an office chair, driving, or standing for long periods of time may lead to back pain.

When standing it is important to maintain the natural curve of the spine in order to achieve good posture.

The spine is similar to the letter S when viewed from the side and maintaining the two curves is what is key to proper posture.

When you first attempt this posture if you are not already doing it, you may feel a bit awkward. Give it some time and it will begin to feel natural.

It can sometimes be tiring and this can be due to weak spine muscles. Another cause of pain is prolonged standing on a concrete or hard floor. If you must do this, it is best to wear shoes with cushioning and good support.

Often a rubber mat or cushioned mat can help. Using a mat and wearing the proper shoes are important steps to ease pressure on the back.

While many of us are increasingly spending large portions of our day in front of a desk it is important to have the correct sitting posture.

Bad sitting posture can result in back pain and neck pain. Most of this pain is avoidable and the first step is to make some simple adjustments.

Adjust your chair to modify your sitting position from a forward leaning slump. The best position is to sit back in the chair and to use the chairs lumbar support to keep the head and neck erect.

Your work surface should be elbow high. Two fingers should be able to slip under the bottom of your thigh. If this is not possible then a foot rest might correct this.

The back of your chair should push your lower back forward slightly to offer lumbar support. Adjust your computer screen.

Sit in your chair and close your eyes and relax. Open you eyes slowly and where your sight initially focuses is the proper placement of the center of your computer screen.

This can be accomplished by using a screen stand or the tilt operation on many screens. The new flat panel screens make this a simple fix.

Remember to periodically take stretching and walking breaks when sitting for long periods of time.

About the Author:

Andrew Voris is a NASM certified personal trainer working out of his private office in Glen Ellyn, IL and out of Tri-City Fitness in St. Charles, IL. His websites are www.bodyformpersonaltraining.com & www.tri-cityfitness.com