The word posture originates from the Latin, ponere, ‘to put or place’.
Sitting in the same position for a long time will cause you to experience pain in your back. If you are not practising good posture, you risk permanently damaging your back and neck altogether.
Poor posture in children
Recently, children have been highlighted as being at risk from Game Boy Back. This is a where prolonged periods of hunching over tablet computers and playing video games has led to a surge in back problems in young people.
It’s not just young people who are at risk. If you sit on the sofa using your laptop, or are bent over reading a book, you are encouraging your spine into a C-Shape. This is where discs and ligaments are moved out of line and your lower back is strained.
Improving your existing sofas
These two steps are easy to implement into existing sofas at home and cost little or no money.
If your sofa doesn’t have thick sofa seat cushions, increase tge height of it by introducing high density foam under the cushion instead.
For children, insert a small cushion behind their lumbar curve, so that knees hang off the sofa at a ninety degree angle. This will help prevent the spine from collapsing.
Sitting properly
Sitting correctly may feel unnatural, especially if you have been sitting incorrectly for years. The common tendency to cross legs when in a seated position actually places pressure on your lower back, causing your hips to shrink in and making you slouch.
Put these steps into practise when sitting, to improve your posture and reduce your chances of back pain.
Move shoulder blades backwards, towards your spine
Adjust your seat, so that your hips are level with your knees
Position both feet flat on the floor
Change position regularly, so pressure is taken off the back and spine.
Invest in the best furniture
Deep-seated, soft sofas may look inviting, but choosing aesthetics over stability will have a lasting effect on the spine.
Purchasing a sofa is a huge investment, so you shouldn’t scrimp or look for the cheapest option. Choose sofas with firm foam backs to support your spine. Thick base cushions are also advised, so that your bottom doesn’t sink in, as this can add extra pressure to your spine.
Source: www.nabru.co.uk
Encourage back awareness to your whole family. Get moving during advert breaks and illustrate to children what can happen if they don’t look after their back.
Preventing back injury is one of the best things you can do for your body. Start today and good posture will soon become second habit.
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