You may not be as hunched at Quasimodo, but if your back’s been aching frequently because you often forget to suck your tummy in, pop your chest out and pull your shoulders back, you better start doing something — if you don’t, the pains can get worse and your spine might already permanently hold the unnatural curve. That unhealthy curve of the spine can cause other physical discomforts; you may suffer from frequent acid reflux, tightness of the chest and even lung problems. Aside from these, of course, the slouchy posture makes the body look weird – you can give off a negative impression, as if you’re sad all the time. Plus, clothes just don’t hang nicely on you.
Bad posture is a problem of many, but there are numerous ways to correct it. For serious cases such as having scoliosis or some form of injury, surgery is often required for posture correction, and it’s often followed by other posture correcting strategies. Butfor the natural inclination to slouch, which can actually cause damage to the tissues of the spine, non-invasive procedures are recommended.
If your posture problem is the latter and not that serious, there are easy solutions that you can try, especially to promote good posture, and provided below are some of them.
- Back braces or girdles – Most of the time, even if you want to slouch, you will not be able to do so because of the stiffness of these back support systems. Aside from supporting the natural neutral posture, braces are also known to minimize back pains.
- Massage therapy – This will ease the tension knots caused by slouching. It’s also quite relaxing and the strategic kneading can help restore the correct posture of your back even just during the session. There are massages that stretch the back and neutralize the unnatural curvature of the spine that slouching cultivates.
- Corrective exercises – These are different movements executed while sitting, standing, lying down, and walking. They can keep the muscles and joints in balance and place the least strain on your ligaments. Through these exercises, proper posture can be regained.
- Diet – This is not a treatment but it’s often recommended by health specialists to promote a stronger spine. The right food choices and proper amount will help you stay within the right weight range that doesn’t put too much strain on your back, and at the same time doesn’t cause fat to deposit on the curvature of your spine and create a noticeable hump.
