As I was doing my stuff in my laptop, suddenly I had a sudden ache right at the back of my spinal cord. It’s a normal thingy that happens occasionally while I was sitting on the chair. I believe many of us had the same experience when we were online, writing, watching tv or even having lunch/dinner on the table. Since I’m (quite) aware of my situations, I would like to share my thought on this matter.
I’ve been seeing my own niece and other younger generations (teens) walking, standing and sitting with the wrong posture. When they walk, it is as if they had a little hump at the back of their neck. A hump will form on your back due to weak back muscles, weak spinal bones and constantly crouching forward. They can’t even stand or sit straight. I know how my nieces used to play computer games, reading comics and texting. They seldom went out and exercise (they’re really not into sport!). So it’s is a shame to see them walking hunchback..So here I am, trying to bring awareness on this matter in my blogJ.
Week body posture..a common problem among teenagers nowadays.
First of all, let me introduce how our spinal looks like:
Our spinal is supported by various types of muscle which helps straighten our vertebra and our body…
Various layer of muscle behind our back..
So how do people know they had this problem? Well, if you have a large mirror in your house, stand in front of the mirror and try to look at yourself. If you able to stand upright, you are safe and your chances of looking odd like a chimp is none. In fact, you look as good as a healthy living human and you might want to try on modeling (big clap to yourself)..but if you notice a slight hump at your back, you need to be concern of your posture.
Left: bad posture, Right: good posture
So, back to the tension around my back and my spinal cord ache, it happens mostly when I was sitting facing my laptop.
Look familiar??(think how you used to sit..)
As for me, all I need to do is getting the right chair with the right height. Sometimes I had a comfy pillow supporting my back when I was sitting. It feels much better and I can work without having to worry the pain from my back. You guys might want to try the following exercise to reduce your hump and straighten your back. Strengthen the muscles of your back to pull your shoulder blades together, opening your chest and preventing the humped-back condition. I encourage you to reduce your humped-back appearance as a means of improving your overall body posture and decreasing your risks of neck and shoulder pain, lower back injuries and leg injuries.
1. Seated Cable Rows
Seated cable rows completely engage all your back muscles responsible for drawing your shoulder blades together and opening your chest including your rhomboids, trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles. Set the weight of a seated-row machine to a moderate intensity. Sit on the machine and ensure the handles are at chest level, adjusting the height of the seat if necessary. Grab both handles and pull them toward you squeezing your shoulder blades together. Straighten your arms to the start position and pull back again. Repeat for 12 to 15 repetitions. You must use progressively heavier weights to increase your muscular strength and your muscular endurance. Gradually increasing the weight you use for your back exercises will slowly help to reduce a humped back.
2. Seated One-Arm Lateral Pull Downs
One-arm lateral pull downs enable you to improve the strength and endurance of your lats. Your lats function to pull your arm bone and shoulder blades downward and toward the center of your back, opening up your chest cavity. Using a one-arm lat bar instead of a regular lat bar enables you to pull the bar down with your upper body in a totally vertical position. Grasp the one-arm handle attached to the lateral pull-down machine, then sit down with your torso completely upright. Perform a one-arm lateral pull down by pulling the handle downward, squeezing your shoulder blade toward your spine. Your elbow should be tucked toward your rib cage and your palm at shoulder level.
3. Standing One-Arm Rows
Standing one-arm rows work your back muscles in a slightly horizontal direction compared to the completely vertical direction of regular lateral pull downs. This position more fully engages your rhomboids and your traps. You can do a one-arm row by holding the handle in your right hand and stepping two feet away from the machine. Place your left foot against the seat cushion with both knees slightly bent. Then, tighten your core to prevent trunk rotation as you pull the handle toward you and squeeze your right shoulder blade toward the middle of your back.
Doing Yoga is another good workout for those who have this problem..
Just remember, maintain good posture. No matter where you are or what you're doing, be sure to keep good posture. Align your back, neck, and head as close to a straight line as possible. Lay down correctly when you're sleeping. Be sure to have a pillow with very low elevation. Bending your neck upwards all night with a tall pillow can cause problems. If you are laying on your back, put a raised pillow under your feet/knees, and if you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs. Never sleep on your stomach. Remember that it is also important to have a mattress that's in good condition (pillow, too!). I hope my little contributions here will help you guys becoming more motivated and build your esteem around people..till then, c ya!
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