Any tips for posture/core correction?

[katesa]

Hi everyone!

So, now that I've got my HA under control (fingers crossed) I want to address this damn back/upper shoulder pain that has plagued me for so long. It's not severe or anything but I could do without it.

Since my doctors told me before that it is due to nothing sinister, I am thinking it is probably due to me having the posture of a Neanderthal and sitting at my writing desk far too long. (I know that some will say it's down to my MS but I'm really confident it isn't)

So, does anyone have any tips to help my posture or strengthen my core that have either helped you or look promising?

Hope you are all well!

Katie x

[MrAndy]

yoga

[lizzie29]

I've been seeing a chiropractor recently and they've given me some core strengthening exercises. I have to do them with one of those giant balls. It's really important to do them properly though and keep checking your alignment.

Have a look on YouTube, there will be some good videos of exercises.

Something that I didn't even realise I do is push my neck forward, which apparently ks common for those working on computers a lot. I'm really conscious of this now and keep pulling back (giving myself a lovely double chin!) to overcompensate and train my brain.

Also, every so often lift your shoulders up then relax them down, to make sure you're not tensing them.

Hope this makes sense! X

[Fishmanpa]

Good suggestions thus far.

I'll throw weight training into the mix. Nothing like a body building routine but a general upper and lower body workout that can be done in 3 visits a week to the gym and in no more than an hour. Strengthening your muscles supports the rest of your body.

If you end up going that route, PM me, I'll get you the routine.

Positive thoughts

[HoneyLove]

MrAndy is right, yoga is great for posture and also blissfully good for anxiety and stress :)

If you're sore from having your head leaning down at your desk all day, then it might be worth looking at exercises for 'forward head posture' on YouTube. Have a read about forward head posture first, and see if you think it fits you.

[katesa]

Thanks MrAndy and honeylove, I am doing some light yoga from a beginners DVD and will persevere.

Lizzie that all makes perfect sense hon and I'll try it all - thank you!

Honeylove, thanks for the info regarding forward head posture. Had a look and it seems a definite factor for me! You're like an expert on these things.

Fishmanpa - thanks very much! That sounds good to me. I'll drop you a PM soon

[HoneyLove]

I'm having some similar posture problems myself Katesa, so I've been reading a lot about it. It seems to be adding to my balance problems which I'll do anything to try and solve!

[katesa]

Well I hope they improve for you HoneyLove but in the meantime thank you for sharing your wisdom with us all, it's a big help x

[nomorepanic]

Kate

I get a lot of problems from posture and I assume you know the correct (health and safety) advice for sitting at a computer and looking at the screen.

I am naughty and have the laptop on the coffee table so I have to look down to look at the screen.

Is this what you are doing?

Here is a pic to show what I mean by how we should be sitting:

http://blog.glassesshop.com/image/computer%20screen%20ajust%20position.jpg


This is what most of us do lol:

http://blog.ergoprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/bad-laptop-posture.jpg

[katesa]

Oh God Nic,

The second picture is actually better than me. I sit hunched over, usually with one leg up on the chair with me and the other leg often rocking my baby in his seat.

Thank you for the reminder. Woods, trees, etc eh? :D

[Magic]

I go to see a chiropractor once a fortnight. As soon as you walk into the waiting room there are large posters on the wall. Pictures of where your head should be.
I am trying to walk with my head in the right position, but I am frightened of tripping
up because I usually look at the floor when walking.
I like to keep upright though. When I went to the gym ages ago now. "keep your back straight"was repeated to me several times.
Yoga --- so good very relaxing. Take care xx

[Althea]

Oh, I've warped myself into very interesting shapes over the years of computer use and I'm definitely paying in the back and shoulders. One thing I haven't seen you mention, which happens to a lot of us modern folks, is the tightening and shortening of the muscles in the front, especially the chest, which of course pulls on everything round the back as a result. I'm too new to post a link, but if you look for "doorway chest stretches" you'll find a good one. Be gentle with yourself on these (and on anything else you take up)--bodies change gradually, and you want to avoid hurting yourself while you're trying to help yourself.

[Shelly15]

I sit like the second picture for most if the day and have really bad neck/head tension and have been feeling really off balance when I walk anywhere which leads me feeling really anxious and then depressed because I'm scared to walk anywhere, can my off balance feeling be caused by sitting like that?