Over time, poor posture can damage your spine, shoulders, hips, and knees. Poor postures can lean to structural flaws that lead to back and joint pain, reduced flexibility and compromised muscles.
1 Forward head posture
The problem: Poor strength in the deep neck flexor muscles.
The fix: Sit or stand up tall, flatten the face and then retract your head backwards. Hold for a count of five; do this 10 times a day.
2 Rounded shoulders
The problem: Weakness in the middle and lower parts of your trapezius (the large muscle that spans your shoulders and back).
The fix: Lie face down on the floor, with each arm at a 90-degree angle in the high-five position. Without changing your elbow angle, raise both arms by pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold for five seconds. That’s one rep; do two or three sets of 12 reps daily.
3 Anterior pelvic tilt
The problem: Tight hip flexors.
The fix: Kneel on your left knee, with your right foot on the floor in front of you, knee bent. Press forward until you feel the stretch in your left hip. Hold for a count of 30 seconds. That’s one repetition; do three on each side.
4 Elevated shoulders
The problem: The muscle under your chest (running from your ribs to your shoulder blades) is weak.
The fix: Sit upright in a chair with your hands next to your hips, palms down on the seat, arms straight. Without moving your arms, push down on the chair until your hips lift up off the seat and your torso rises. Hold for five seconds. That’s one repetition; do two or three sets of 12 reps daily.
5 Pigeon toes
The problem: Weak glutes (butt muscles).
The fix: Lie on one side with your knees bent 90 degrees and your heels together. Keeping your hips still, raise your top knee upward, separating your knees like a clamshell. Pause for five seconds, then lower your knee to the starting position. That’s one rep. Perform two or three sets of 12 reps on each side daily.
6 Duck feet
The problem: Your oblique muscles and hip flexors are weak.
The fix: Get into a pushup position with your feet resting on a stability ball. Without rounding your lower back, tuck your knees under your torso, using your feet to roll the ball toward your body, then back to the starting position. That’s one rep. Do two or three sets of six to 12 reps daily.
