OSTEOPATHY, FIX EAST VILLAGE, PRENATAL & POSTNATAL, TIPS
OSTEOPATH ANASTASIA TRINDER, TALKS ABOUT THE IMPACT WORKING FROM HOME MAY HAVE ON YOUR POSTURE AND YOUR HEALTH, SHE ALSO GIVES US SOME EXERCISES WE CAN DO TO KEEP US HEALTHY DURING LOCKDOWN.
POSTURE DURING LOCKDOWN
The lockdown has forced us into even more sedentary lifestyle than office work. Without the daily commute to work/school we have become increasingly inactive. Even children have started to complain of back, shoulders and neck pain – the prerogative usually reserved for their parents!
PROBLEMS CAUSED BY BAD POSTURE
Poor posture can impact our health in a variety of ways:
- Back, shoulders and neck pain.
- Headaches and jaw pain caused by moving your head forward and clenching facial muscles.
- Constricted chest and poor breathing mechanics, reducing oxygen levels in the blood.
Harvard Medical School also warns of three unusual problems linked to poor posture:
- Heartburn and slowed digestion. “Slouching puts pressure on the abdomen, which can force stomach acid in the wrong direction,” explains Dr. Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
- Constipation. Poor posture on a toilet (hunched over with your knees lower than your hips) can promote constipation. Constipation means fewer than three bowel movements per week; hard, dry stools; straining to move the bowels; and a sense of an incomplete evacuation.
- Incontinence (leaking a little urine when laughing or coughing). Slouching increases pressure on the bladder and decreases the strength of the pelvic muscles.
IMPROVING YOUR POSTURE
Changing your posture may take some time and practice, but with our help you will see some positive results within a short time.
If you’re working from home, its also important to make sure your workspace is set up well:
- screen at eye level (think about investing in a laptop stand from Amazon)
- support behind your lower back (try a rolled up towel)
- elbows and knees at 90 degree angles
- feet flat on the floor
- forearms and wrist supported
Try to incorporate exercises suggested below into your daily routine during the lockdown to support your posture and health.
HOME EXERCISES DURING LOCKDOWN
Physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy body, mind and spirit, especially during stressful situations. Devoting at least 5-10 minutes a day to quick exercises at home is the best way to maintain physical and psychological well-being during the lockdown period.
Choose one or two exercises from the table below to do at home every day. Alternate the exercises during a week. Once you complete all 10 exercises, enjoy your weekend and a well-deserved glass of wine (no wine/Netflix is allowed without completing the exercises ☺)
If you or your child experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, book a consultation with Anastasia to correct and improve your specific postural habits.