MINDBODY
GET THAT BACK ON TRACK
The good posture struggle is REAL. Between sitting at desks all day, couch potato-ing and watching Netflix, and looking down at your phone, the spine starts to slump pretty easily. While you may catch and correct it sometimes, it doesn’t take long for poor posture to get set in its ways. It’s a slippery slope for pains and imbalances in the rest of your body from there! Proper spinal health is important for a myriad of reasons, such as making your workouts more effective and preventing injuries. Thankfully, simple chiropractic exercises work wonders in reversing poor posture!
Dr. Jonathan Shultz, a Chiropractor at Castle Hill Fitness Downtown, shares 3 easy exercises you can do anytime, anywhere, and however many times you want.
DR. JONATHAN’S CHIROPRACTIC EXERCISES
Brugger Rest Position
How it helps: If you work at a desk all day, this is for you! This exercise helps to combat the negative posture problems associated with extended periods of sitting at a desk.
How to perform this exercise: Move to the front of your seat, knees slightly wider than hips, and press your feet into the floor. Rock your pelvis forward to lift the spine, widen your fingers, and squeeze your shoulders back and down onto your back. Then pull your head back like you are making a double chin, and hold for 5 seconds, or longer if you’d like.
How often to do it: Aim to do this exercise once every hour. You don’t even need to get up from your chair! Start with 5 seconds every hour, and go from there.
Combination Head and Neck Range of Motion
How it helps: These simple movements strengthen the neck and cervical curve. Dr. Jonathan recommends that everyone moves through a standard series of head and neck range of motion each day. This chiropractic exercise demonstrates how to effectively combine extension, lateral flexion, and rotation to each direction.
How to perform this exercise: Sit in a chair, with your back straight, your shoulders down, and your neck long. Without moving your torso, look downward, then extend your neck and look upwards to the right. Bring your head back down, then look back up and to the left. Do 10-15 on each side.
How often to do it: Repeat as many times a day as you can, and you’re on your way to a better neck curve!
Flowing Half Forward Fold
How it helps: This exercise not only improves posture, but it’s a great stress-buster as well!
How to perform this exercise: Stand up straight, and fold forward. Already, this is providing a nice hamstring stretch, that the majority of people often need. Keep a bend in your knees as you take a big inhale and lift your chest up until your spine is parallel with the ground. At the same time, cactus your arms and squeeze the shoulder blades back and down. Exhale and fold forward, once again stretching the backs of your legs. Do this 5-10 rounds on a slow breath – about one minute.
How often to do it: Do this anytime you catch yourself slumping, or feeling stressed. 5-10 rounds on a slow breath, and you’ll stand up much taller AND feel more relaxed due to the slow, rhythmic breathing.
WALK TALLER AND PROUDER
Take two minutes out of your day to perform these chiropractic exercises, and notice how much taller you’re standing right away!
Experience the joy of proper mobility and range of motion in your joints with a full Chiropractic session in our Downtown Spa. A Chiropractic session is good for anyone – whether you’re experiencing pain or not. A customized adjustment will help you feel and move better than ever, in daily life and in working out. Learn more about what a customized Chiropractic adjustment can do for you at the button below.
Feel and move better than ever, in your daily life and workouts!
Hey Dr J!
Love your desk exercises, thanks!