POSTURE & BODY MECHANICS
We get out of experiences what we put into them. Many times when we exercise, especially perform cardiovascular exercise, we can tend to zone out, and just “go through the motions”. While almost any movement is better than no movement, you can get more out of your workouts and feel better if you engage your brain with your body to think about your posture and movement. Try to keep your trunk upright and your head in a neutral position versus forward. The more you actively use your brain to be self-aware, the more your body will cue you to move properly. Book an appointment with me to learn how to improve your movement and body awareness!
Technology has become a large part of our lives, for work, for communication, for finding things we need, and even for fun. Prolonged sitting is not good for our bodies though; we were born to move! So while you may need or want to use your computer, tablet, or phone for some amount of time, try to get up at least every 30 minutes. In addition, when you are sitting, try to periodically notice your body position. While we are not always aware of what our bodies are doing or how they are positioned, gravity is working 24/7 to pull us down. To counter the ever-present effects of gravity, engage your core and postural muscles to keep your head and spine in neutral positions, meaning not excessively forward or backward. You can also do some backward shoulder rolls to improve blood flow and mobility of the muscles in your neck and upper back.
Driving is an integral part of many of our lives; we often can spend significant portions of our day in the car, even if we are not the ones driving. To avoid aches and pains from prolonged sitting, try to be aware of your position and engage your postural muscles from your head down to your pelvis. At times of increased stress, or without giving our bodies much thought, we often end up with our head forward toward the windshield and our shoulders elevated up to our ears. Try performing a chin tuck back into the headrest as well as a slight shoulder blade squeeze back and down, to improve your spinal alignment and relax those tight upper traps.
