If you want to feel strong, be injury free, and have a well-balanced body, then you need to Practice Proper Posture.

Did you know that “text neck” is a thing? We live in a digital society that requires us to look down way too much. Think about how often you are texting throughout your day, using your tablet or laptop.

If you don’t practice proper posture then eventually your body will start feeling stiff, achy and potentially you could experience nerve pain, which can be debilitating.

That’s what happened to me. Back in 2015 my body began to feel achy, stiff and I was dealing with chronic nerve pain. Without realizing it over the years, my posture and body changed significantly with the demands of my teaching job and being a new mom. It wasn’t until after spine surgery in 2016 that I began to focus more consistently on my posture. Being aware of my posture throughout my day, meaning how I do basic things like wash dishes, do laundry and drive has made a positive impact on my life. Now I’m able to do all of the activities I enjoy with my family without worrying about getting injured.

Awareness of our body throughout the day is key to creating a change for the better.

It matters how we sit, stand, sleep, clean the house, drive, etc. If you sit at your desk all day without thinking about your posture then you are going to feel stiff, achy and most likely have spine issues. But, constantly thinking about your posture during the day will make a huge difference.

You will begin to see and feel results in a positive way even if you only think about proper body alignment once a day or a few times each week.

Recently I had two clients share their experience when driving. One said, “after you asked me to think about my posture throughout my day, I realized that I’m in a terrible position when I drive! I noticed that I was gripping my steering wheel, my shoulders were rolling forward and I was reaching my nose way out in front of me all the time. I’m going to be more aware of how I’m driving so that I can be more consistent with maintaining proper posture.” Another client commented on how grateful she was that we focus on her posture, because on a recent 10 hour car ride she was able to think about how to properly position her body in order to feel her best.

Here are a things to look out for:

• Forward head posture and rounded shoulders. Muscles in the neck, chest, and upper back can become deconditioned and imbalanced due to prolonged forward head posture. This deconditioning can make it difficult to maintain good posture with the ears directly over the shoulders.
• Increased pain with neck flexion. Text neck symptoms tend to worsen when the neck is flexed with the chin and eyes down toward the chest. The muscles around the neck become weak and deconditioned. Proper strengthening and stretching exercises are important to restore the cervical spine to a more optimal position.

Check out my video to see what these postures look like and how you can prevent them from happening.

Click here to join my LIVE virtual Pilates & ELDOA class

where you will learn specific exercises and ways to Practice Proper Posture. During my 45 minute class you will learn about the ELDOA method, as well as how to properly warm-up, strengthen the body and stretch! Looking forward to working with you soon.