| My mother used to always say, "Stop slouching!" | | | | you can download for future reference. |
| when I was young. Most people can relate to | | | | Since good posture is truly a habit, you can use |
| that, but if you're like me, most people didn't listen | | | | your time spent at your computer to master |
| to their mothers and carried the bad habit of poor | | | | your posture. |
| posture into adulthood. | | | | 3) Posture Corrective Braces |
| Most of us long ago accepted our posture and | | | | Probably the fastest way to improve one's |
| simply live with it, not realizing that good posture | | | | posture is by the use of a posture corrective |
| is a choice, and there are some simple ways to | | | | brace. There are many available on the market, |
| address, and ultimately improve your posture. | | | | of all shapes and sizes. One drawback with most |
| 1) Exercises | | | | posture braces is that they tend to do the work |
| There are many exercises that have been | | | | for the wearer, pulling the shoulders back and |
| developed to help increase upper back strength, | | | | maintaining correct posture by the strength of |
| thus improving posture. One of the most | | | | the apparatus, rather than the strength of the |
| effective is also the easiest: | | | | user's back muscles. This is a case where a quick |
| Lie face down on a mat or soft surface. Turn | | | | fix can cause negative long-term consequences, |
| your head to one side and place your arms out, | | | | as the user's back can actually weaken over time, |
| with elbows bent 90 degrees and palms down, | | | | which in turn causes posture to get worse and |
| approximately level with the top of your head. | | | | worse. |
| Raise your head upper back from the floor as far | | | | There is one posture corrective brace that was |
| as is comfortable, while keeping your feet and | | | | developed specifically to utilize the wearer's own |
| legs on the floor. While keeping your arms bent | | | | back muscles to maintain correct posture. The |
| 90 degrees, raise your elbows using the muscles | | | | PostureNOW posture brace, when worn correctly, |
| between your shoulder blades, and hold for up to | | | | provides very little force against the shoulders, so |
| 10 seconds. Repeat this 5-10 times, more as you | | | | the wearer uses his/her upper back muscles to |
| gain strength. | | | | maintain proper posture. Over time, the muscles |
| By strengthening the upper back, you'll stand | | | | get stronger, muscle memory is developed and |
| straighter, with more confident posture. | | | | good posture becomes a habit, rather than |
| 2) Ergonomics at Your Desk | | | | becoming dependent on a posture brace to stand |
| Since most of us spend as many as 10 hours a | | | | up straight. |
| day at our desk, working at a computer, having | | | | Maximize Your Results |
| correct workstation ergonomics and body posture | | | | Any one of the above methods will help to |
| can literally train you for sustained, proper | | | | improve one's posture. For those who are serious |
| posture. For a detailed description of how best to | | | | about improving posture, the combination of |
| configure your desk, chair and body position, see | | | | exercises, correct workplace ergonomics, and an |
| the Workplace Ergonomics Quick Reference guide, | | | | effective posture correction brace such as |
| published by the Computer/Electronic | | | | PostureNOW, will provide significant benefits and |
| Accommodations Program, under the Office of | | | | long-term improvement in posture. Start now, |
| the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, US | | | | because it's never to late to improve your |
| Department of Defense. Here is the address: | | | | posture. |
| There is also a detailed PDF file on the site, which | | | | |