In case you do not have the time to work out properly, here are 9 healthy habits that you can incorporate in your routine to maintain a good posture and take care of your back:
- Sit less: Senior physiotherapist from Aldergrove Physiotherapy and Rehab Centre, Dr. Amitinder Singh Dhaliwal suggests “sitting for long hours must be avoided. Sitting less inhibits proper blood circulation, makes the metabolism a very slow process and increases risk of type 2 diabetes. Attaching your laptop to a treadmill can also help but must be done very carefully.
- Sit straight: Slouching can weaken the muscles and place extra pressure on the spine. Therefore, maintaining a good, healthy back requires that you sit straight. Slouching also considered to be a sign of poor self-esteem.
Dr. Dhaliwal advises that the proper position for sitting is to have the feet flat on the floor, the knees bent at a 90-degree angle, the elbows similarly bent at a 90-degree angle, and the wrists supported. The eyes can become tired from bending too much towards the screen.
- Break your sitting: Sitting for long hours can increase the risk of obesity and make a person more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases. Going for short brisk walks or simply strolling can prove to be meditative. “A simple way to do this can be going for frequent water breaks. Not only will it keep a person hydrated but will also keep one moving.” added Dr. Dhaliwal.
- Stretch: To maintain flexibility of the body and good muscle growth, stretching is a must but should be done in the right way. The benefits of stretching according to Dr. Dhaliwal are “limiting the strain on muscles and joints as well as keeping the muscles toned and flexible.”
- Look up to read messages: On an average, the weight of a human head is 5 kilograms, and the neck supports the weight. Dr. Dhaliwal said, “The more the head is bent, the more pressure it exerts on the spine. Consequently, muscles and ligaments become tense and the back starts hurting. Therefore, when looks down to read a message on the phone, we are straining out back which causes pain in the neck. The phone should be brought up to the eye level in case we are using the phone while standing.” If the messages are being read on the phone while a person is sitting, “even then the back should be erect with the support of a chair and, shoulders in a relaxed position but not slouched.”
- Take the stairs: Climbing stairs is a very good joint movement exercise specifically for the knees. in case, there is no time to go for a proper workout, stairs can be a good alternative way of working out. This can also help in shedding the extra kilograms to lose weight.
- Avoid wearing heels for long hours: “High heels” for Dr. Dhaliwal “increase the pressure that is exerted at the ball of the foot and thicken as well as make the Achilles tendon stiffer which eventually becomes very painful for the legs and knees.”
- Sleep in the correct position: The mattress that is slept on must be hard and not a soft bouncy one. It should support the curves of the spine. Keeping a pillow under the knees will lessen the pressure exerted on the spine and moving the entire body while turning helps in maintaining the alignment of the body. Sleeping in the wrong position can cause chronic back aches as well as a night of disturbed sleep.
- Practising yoga: By doing the simple Surya Namaskar every day, a day can be started by performing proper stretching exercises. It allows deep breathing and stretching of legs, arms, and back in various different poses. Doing yoga regularly can also cure soreness in the body and can help you in getting rid of the stiffness.
- Use the correct chair: “Adjust the ergonomic office chair according to your body type and also according to the height of the desk or workstation so that the elbows align properly with the wrist while providing proper support to the back.”, said Dr. Dhaliwal.
Using an armrest can “remove the strain from the upper spine and shoulders, thus, eventually, preventing slouching.”
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