With age, your back changes its shape and starts curving forward increasingly, resulting in a stooped posture. This is something everybody can expect in their old age, but only if you allow it. Fortunately, there are ways you can hold on to your good posture, no matter how old you are. In fact, this can make you appear younger and stay healthier. Here are some of those ways.
#1. Sit up straight!
For most of us, this was a sentence that we often heard as children and adolescents. However, your parents weren’t wrong for trying to get you to straighten your back while sitting. It’s actually a great habit to form, which is especially true for those people who work in offices and sit at their desks most of their working hours. So, do your best to sit up straight, pull your shoulders back and support your lower back properly. If you start doing this early enough, you can keep your good posture for longer once you’re in your golden years.
#2. Stretch regularly
Again, this is particularly important for those who sit a lot. Even if your back is straight while sitting, staying in the same position for long can have negative effects on your posture. This is why it’s essential that you have regular breaks, when you’ll get up from your desk and do some simple stretching exercises for your back, but also arms and legs. Just a minute or two every hour can make a huge difference, and if you can add a round of stretching exercises to your workout routine, even better. It will even benefit your posture if you just get up and walk around the office for several minutes each hour, and it will make you feel better momentarily.
#3. Seek help
If you have poor posture, one of the best ways to tackle the issue is to find a physiotherapist who can help you. Through exercise, they can help you strengthen the muscles which are attached to your shoulder blades, so that you can improve your posture. Also, in case your bad posture is a result of some injury of back and neck, physiotherapy can also be somewhat helpful, since it can enable the state of your back and neck to improve to some extent. Aside from a physiotherapist, you could visit a chiropractor as well. They can help with slouching and allow your whole body to function better by realigning your spine.
#4. Consider a surgical intervention
Surgery is seen as a last resort for any problem with your back due to the many risks it carries. However, if your bad posture is a result of some other, more serious issue with your back, and if all other types of therapy fail, you may need to have a surgical intervention. If so, make sure you find the best possible surgeon, to minimize the risks. Look for doctors who are transparent in their work, who aren’t afraid to talk about it and who don’t mind showing the results of their surgeries. For instance, the esteemed Dr Timothy Steel proudly showcases his patients and the fulfilled lives they lead after the surgeries he performed on them. This is something that can make you trust a doctor and be assured you’ll be in good hands.
#5. Try yoga and Pilates
Both Pilates and yoga can help you with regaining your perfect posture. First of all, they both aim to make your “core” stronger, and by “core”, we mean your abdominal and pelvic muscles. If these muscles are strong and at their optimal function, then your posture can improve greatly. Furthermore, yoga promotes good flexibility, but also strong muscles in your entire body. A good piece of advice would be to find a good yoga teacher and try some basic yoga exercises, after which you can gradually advance to the level that you and your body are comfortable with. If you’re a beginner, you don’t want to overexert yourself by trying poses which are too complicated or too advanced.
#6. Get enough of calcium
Without calcium, your bones can’t be strong and healthy, so make sure your diet contains enough of it. This is especially important for women over the age of 50, who should get about 20% more calcium than those younger than 50. The best way to do this is to boost the consumption of calcium-rich foods, such as leafy greens and dairy products. Relying on valuable nutrients is essential, since they can help strengthen your bones and improve your posture. Finally, it might be smart to talk to your GP and check if you need to start using calcium supplements.
Your age is as good as any to improve your posture, so start making better decisions for your body today.
