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Help with bad posture

  • 03-03-2014 03:01PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,399 ✭✭✭✭ThunbergsAreGo


    Have noticed over the last while my sitting posture is dreadful, this is causing problems with my lower back/hamstrings.

    Does anyone have any tips/items that could help this?

    Trying my best but its easy to slip into bad habits.

    Was looking at a backjoy perhaps


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    Make sure your workspace is set up properly and then you've just got to be vigilant and keep practising sitting with good posture.

    You might also want to look at exercises and drills that will help with mobility and strength in your hips, back and neck, but really it's all about breaking bad habits, and this takes a lot of practice.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,399 ✭✭✭✭ThunbergsAreGo


    Make sure your workspace is set up properly and then you've just got to be vigilant and keep practising sitting with good posture.

    You might also want to look at exercises and drills that will help with mobility and strength in your hips, back and neck, but really it's all about breaking bad habits, and this takes a lot of practice.

    Cheers, seeing the physio about it at present so doing the exercises.

    Its really hard to break the, now natural, bad posture i have.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    naughtb4 wrote: »
    Its really hard to break the, now natural, bad posture i have.

    It took a long time to develop those bad habits, and it's going to take some time to develop good ones. Not an unreasonably long time, but it's far from instantaneous.

    You can get all sorts of devices that claim to improve your posture, but I'm not sure how good they are as if you're depending on something to hold you in position, the muscles that were supposed to be keeping you in place get weaker and the problem actually gets worse. I'm no expert though, and your physio is probably the best person to talk with about this.

    One thing that is worth investing in is a decent chair for work. If the one you have isn't up to spec, you might even be able to charge getting a new one to your employer.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭username123


    My own posture was very very bad, I used to walk hunched forward like I was looking at my feet and while sitting it actually HURT me to put my shoulders back and sit up straight!!

    I started swimming and that really improved my upper back/shoulder strength so I could actually sit up straight with my shoulders back without it hurting, then I took up running and I got a tip from an experienced runner who said to run like theres a balloon pulling you up from the head. That seems to have straightened me out a lot and now when I catch sight of myself in mirrors I dont look so hunched.

    I also did core strength exercises for about a year - they helped too. Actually I should start doing them again.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,445 ✭✭✭Gamb!t


    Can you get any operations to fix bad posture ?
    My job has really affected my posture for the worse.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,443 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Gamb!t wrote: »
    Can you get any operations to fix bad posture ?
    My job has really affected my posture for the worse.
    A surgical solution for a bad habit? Seriously? Would you 'fix' nail biting by amputating fingers? It'd work, but it's be drastic and unnecessary.


  • Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Archer Repulsive Fatigues


    I used to have awful posture and it was sore as hell to pull my back muscles down and shoulders back but I stuck with it and it became habit after a short enough time. Improved massively, you wouldn't know now


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,746 ✭✭✭atilladehun


    You need to get your core strong. Think of it as front, side and back as well as deep. Leg raises, back plank, Side dips and back plank are examples of some moves you might do.

    I wouldn't leave your legs out either. Squat and stretch your hamstrings and hips.

    Also exercise for your upper back. Pull ups are great but difficult. Even easier pulling movements will still really help.

    Stretch. Do yoga or something that.

    Get a footstool, a cushion, back support and most helpful a screen raiser. Your screen should be really high up. directly in line with your eyes. If you use a laptop and not a pc then get a keyboard and mouse to plug in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,713 ✭✭✭cloudatlas


    I found that planks, press ups and shoulder presses with a 12kg kettle bell helped strengthen my back so much so that I didn't have to worry about telling myself to stand and sit straight as I did it naturally.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    cloudatlas wrote: »
    I found that planks, press ups and shoulder presses with a 12kg kettle bell helped strengthen my back so much so that I didn't have to worry about telling myself to stand and sit straight as I did it naturally.

    I've done all that and more, and I still have to cue myself to fix up my posture from time to time. So your mileage may vary.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,713 ✭✭✭cloudatlas


    I've done all that and more, and I still have to cue myself to fix up my posture from time to time. So your mileage may vary.

    I also found swimming helpful.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,981 ✭✭✭Caliden


    You need to get your core strong. Think of it as front, side and back as well as deep. Leg raises, back plank, Side dips and back plank are examples of some moves you might do.

    I wouldn't leave your legs out either. Squat and stretch your hamstrings and hips.

    Also exercise for your upper back. Pull ups are great but difficult. Even easier pulling movements will still really help.

    Stretch. Do yoga or something that.

    Get a footstool, a cushion, back support and most helpful a screen raiser. Your screen should be really high up. directly in line with your eyes. If you use a laptop and not a pc then get a keyboard and mouse to plug in.


    Also don't leave out lower back/glutes exercises.

    I had crap posture and some pain on in my shoulder blade from slouching.

    Then I went ahead and did upper back/core/quad strength exercises.

    Upper back pain went away then I started to get 'snapping' in my lower back/hip and was told my glutes/lower back was now the weak link.

    It just opened my eyes that if you can't leave out a single muscle group or it will eventually cause you issues.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,445 ✭✭✭Gamb!t


    What happens if you are in your mid 30s with bad posture ?
    Can it be improved with the above exercises ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,528 ✭✭✭✭Frank Bullitt


    Standing work station, we all just got on them here in work, takes a bit of getting used to.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 392 ✭✭dragonkin


    Very difficult to fix in reality. Doing core exercises etc often just make the problem worse as you are simply strengthening other parts of the body to compensate for areas that are in fact too tense without addressing the core issue. The key is to relax however that is far easier said than done when you've been using your body incorrectly since you were a small child. If you need to put effort into maintaining good posture.. you're not doing it right.

    You need someone who knows what they are doing it's more than just a bad habit although strengthening the back muscles can help if you are doing the exercises properly but if your posture is bad... you're probably not able to do the exercises correctly without using loads of secondary muscles (eg. using internal rotator cuff not lats when doing pull ups)... which frequently just makes the problem worse. You can do the plank but the same problem applies you're just not using your body in the way it is meant to be used and as a result the adaptation to the stress is generally not a healthy adaptation. If you are looking for health not fitness you can disregard most of the posts in this forum.

    I think pilates/yoga etc. can (if teacher is good) help if the problem is not too severe but in most office workers it's gone way beyond severe. Suggest a trip to the local pool to see some interesting spinal alignments (vs what humans are actually meant to look like (first photo) (some of the others are possibly NSFW as the women have bare chests, guess they are one of the few tribes no Christian missionaries have reached).

    One solution I find effective without finding a specialist (difficult to find most are cranks incl. physios) is to get yourself over to Colorado/Washington state they have recently legalised a substance that is a very strong muscle relaxant and can help to identify/loosen tight areas. It's really a mental/sub conscious problem and that's where it has to be solved. We live a totally unnatural life in a totally unnatural environment there are consequences.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    You have a good point about the need to do the exercises and stretches properly if they are to have any benefit, but I would be very surprised if toking up would have any positive effect on someone's posture. Very surprised indeed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,443 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    I would be very surprised if toking up would have any positive effect on someone's posture. Very surprised indeed.

    Toking up would certainly induce relaxation and stress relief!

    :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 392 ✭✭dragonkin


    You have a good point about the need to do the exercises and stretches properly if they are to have any benefit, but I would be very surprised if toking up would have any positive effect on someone's posture. Very surprised indeed.

    It won't fix the posture just temporarily release muscles that are being held unconsciously and bring the tightness to your conscious attention. Basicly stand in a room stand up straight as possible and try to relax... you will be able to relax significantly more and your body will start doing strange and what to you feel totally unnatural things. After that it is up to you to try and use that information. Maybe there are other muscle relaxants with a similar effect I don't know them.

    Probably only useful after several months/years of mechanically loosening the fascia and muscle systems (rolling/mobilityWod etc.). That stuff will get you a small way there. The real key is to first relax the hips and then if the hips are relaxed (this is what the previous proposal helps with most people can't relax their hips) you can start to explore the problems further upstream.
    Best way to know if you have serious problems is to look at the mobility wod with Kelly Starrett where he talks about walking like a duck, if your feet are not pointing reasonably straight forward when standing up... your hips are probably wacked... which also results in significant shoulder issues as imbalanced hips don't allow the shoulders to rest in an optimal position in order to maintain balance. Most people who go to the gym frequently will suffer from this as the imbalances are exacerbated over time when lifting weight.

    All this takes years however and someone who knows what they are doing. That was a short cut that might help speed up the process not a solution.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 590 ✭✭✭bman


    The book Becoming A Supple Leopard helped me a lot in improving my posture (and taught me how to lift properly). It's a bit expensive, but when you consider how much you are likely to spend on physios, it's easily worth it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    bman wrote: »
    The book Becoming A Supple Leopard helped me a lot in improving my posture (and taught me how to lift properly). It's a bit expensive, but when you consider how much you are likely to spend on physios, it's easily worth it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Supple-Leopard-Preventing-Performance/dp/1936608588


    Proobably works out cheaper on The Book Depository with the free delivery


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