If you’ve ever seen a ballerina’s poised posture (open shoulders, long neck and strong back) and wished you too could stand up tall then you’re not alone. Modern technology has got us sitting more and moving less. Combine that with the fact that handheld devices result in prolonged neck flexion (looking down) and it’s not hard to see why our posture is suffering!
Historically the most common presentation of ‘bad posture’ was amongst office workers as they sat in front of screens for 8 + hours per day, however, advancements in ergonomic office equipment including standing desks have improved this. The hours of screen time on personal phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices now exacerbate this problem.
So what can you do to help your posture?
Remembering that your next posture is your best posture! We often get so caught up in finding the ‘best posture’, and while yes, there are some general guidelines for this, the most important thing is to change your posture regularly. Alternating from sitting to standing and vice versa is one of the simplest swaps to improve your posture.
The next step is adding in exercises to target your postural muscles, in particular, your posterior chain and core. A consultation with an Exercise Physiologist can assist you in finding the correct exercises for your current strength level - some of the exercises can even be completed from your chair as you work or watch television! Other commonly utilised exercise modalities for improving posture are swimming and Pilates, which each work on the posterior chain and core.
Book in for a consultation with an Embrace Exercise Physiologist as that Ballerina posture might be closer than you think!