Step 1: Improve your posture
Everyday, your spine wages a war against gravity. How well it is aligned during the day, will dictate howwell it survives. Do you sit for long periods at work or at home? Do you find yourself slouching during the day? Poor posture strains spinal muscles, ligaments, tendons and connective tissues. This causes areas of the spine to become stiff, weak or even too loose. The center of gravity in your body falls along the natural curves of your spine. With poor posture, your spine loses its normal curvature, which places strain on different parts of the spine. For example, the lower spine can become too curved (lordosis) or flat (kyphosis). Protecting your spine with better posture The best way to alleviate back pain is to beginwith better posture. Sitting causes themost pressure on the spine itself, so it is important that if you do sit a lot during the day, you take extra care of your spine. Here are some simple tips to help you improve your posture with doing different tasks: 1. When sitting at a desk, make sure that you are sitting tall, with your feet flat on the floor. A computer screen should be high enough so that the top 1/3rd of the screen is eye level. The screen should also be directly in front of you and not off to the side as this rotates your spine 2. When walking, make sure to look ahead and pretend that an invisible string is pulling you up through the top of your head. This brings your body into better alignment 3. Avoid sitting at home in soft couches or in recliners for long periods. This causes an abnormal slouching in your low spine and a severe forward head posture strain 4. When lifting objects, keep themclose to your body and keep your back straight. Kneel down or squat to pick up objects off the floor. Use your legs, not your spine
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