This Quick and Easy Move Can Improve Your Posture, Says a Back Pain Specialist

Woman experiencing back pain because of poor posture while working on the computer

Your posture doesn’t just affect the way you look. Evidence shows it can also have an impact on how you feel, since posture can play a role in a range of health conditions, particularly involving your neck, back and joints. On top of that, there's a psychological impact.

“Good posture is indicative of a positive person with confidence, who is able and willing to hold their body correctly,” says Dr. Meredith Warner, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and author of the upcoming book, Bone on Bone: An Orthopedic Surgeon’s Guide to Avoiding Surgery and Healing Pain Naturally. “Poor posture indicates the opposite, usually.”

Related: Taylor Swift Trained for The Eras Tour in This 'Amazing' Posture-Correcting Sports Bra That's on Sale Right Now

The Top Posture Problems To Know About

Dr. Warner says some increasingly common posture-related conditions can be blamed at least in part on our gadget-heavy daily routines.

“Most Americans have what is sometimes called ‘Forward Crossed X Syndrome.’ This is when the spiral lines of fascia on the back are not balanced and the front of the body is too tight, while the back of the body is too loose or rounded,” she explains.

The positions commonly involved with using handheld devices contribute to this condition. “The head is shifted forward, there is loss of lordosis [normal curving] in the cervical spine, the shoulders are rolled forward and there is too much kyphosis [abnormal curving] in the thoracic spine,” says Dr. Warner.

When the shoulder blades are rotated around the ribcage to the outside of the chest region, many people develop a condition commonly referred to as a dowager’s hump, Dr. Warner says. “This is when the head is shifted so far forward that the 7^th cervical spinous process protrudes and there is literally a hump on the back at the base of the neck. When you have good posture, you'll have none of these problems.”

To address these types of posture issues, Dr. Warner says the main targets to fix are the forward-positioned shoulders, poorly positioned shoulder blades and the forward position of the head.

Related: This Is the #1 Unexpected Sign That You Need To See a Physical Therapist ASAP

A Quick and Easy Exercise for Better Posture

Dr. Warner recommends this exercise to address thoracic kyphosis and poor position of the scapula and improve upper back posture.

Shoulder blade squeeze

While sitting or standing straight, squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold for five seconds, and release. The inside border of the shoulder blades should slide around the ribs toward the spine. Repeat 10-15 times.

Related: This Super Simple Shoulder Exercise Could Add Years to Your Mobility, According to a Physical Therapist

3 Other Simple Moves for Better Posture

While the shoulder blade squeeze is a great starting point, these exercises can help too.

1. Shoulder and chest stretch

This exercise helps to open the chest and counteract rounded shoulders, Dr. Warner says.

Begin by standing in a doorway and leaning forward while rotating to the side to stretch the chest. The elbow should be bent to about 90 degrees and the arm should be at 90 degrees at the shoulder. Place the front of the shoulder and the arm against the doorway with the chest and torso in the doorway. Turn the torso and chest away from the door jamb and the arm. You should feel a deep stretch in the front of the shoulder region.

2. Prone cobra

This exercise is for strengthening the muscles of the back and shoulders.

Lie on your stomach, arms at your sides. Lift your chest off the ground, squeezing shoulder blades together, and hold for 10 seconds before lowering. Repeat 10 times. For a progression, both the legs and the chest can be lifted off the ground simultaneously.

3. Chin tucks

This exercise helps in strengthening the neck muscles and improving neck posture. Sit or stand straight, gently pull your chin in towards the neck, hold for 5 seconds, and release. Do not just tilt the chin toward the chest, rather keep the chin level and push the entire head back. Repeat 10 times.

Next up, find out the simple tweak that yoga instructors say can make you way more flexible.

Sources:

• Dr. Meredith Warner, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, author of the upcoming book, Bone on Bone: An Orthopedic Surgeon’s Guide to Avoiding Surgery and Healing Pain Naturally

• Poor Posture Hurts Your Health More Than You Realize: Tips for Fixing It, Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials