How to Fix Bad Posture - 4 Tips

Take a moment to evaluate how you’re sitting or laying down right now. Are you slumped over? Is your neck slouched down looking at a screen? Is your back rounded and your shoulders slumped?

Don’t fret if you answered yes to those questions. Many of us struggle with maintaining good posture throughout the day. While this is a somewhat common problem, it’s also a pretty harmful one. Bad posture can lead to significant pain, muscle stiffness, joint issues, and more! 

In this post, we’re going over 4 tips on how to fix bad posture so you can stand up straight and get to living life without pain & stiffness!

1. See a Chiropractor

A back pain chiropractor, or even a more general chiropractic practitioner, is an excellent resource for fixing your posture. 

Chiropractors are medical professionals that work with the bones, muscles, and joints. They understand how bones are aligned and how misalignments can lead to significant pain. They also understand how conditions, injuries, and illnesses can affect your bones, muscles, and overall health.

Bad posture is a common denominator for many chiropractic visits. Chiropractors can help you identify why you’re feeling stiff or in pain in certain areas. They’ll also be able to look at your posture to see what can be improved and how.

A chiropractor can then perform a chiropractic back adjustment, FAKTR treatments, massage, and more to reduce pain and stiffness. They’ll also give you exercises and movements to do on your own to strengthen your muscles and aid in fixing your posture.

1. Get a New Office Chair

Did you know that the average American sits for 13 hours per day? Many of those hours are spent in an office or desk chair, and it’s here where many postural issues arise.

From slouching to slumping to leaning forward, office chairs are often the source of postural issues. While sitting in those chairs for short periods might not be as much of a problem, being confined to these chairs for 8 hours per day does have its negative effects on the body.

That’s why it’s crucial to find an ergonomic chair that works for you and your body. Don’t be afraid to go into a store to try out various office chair options. Find one that has proper back and neck support, one that has an adjustable height, and one that you feel most comfortable in.

1. Move Your Body

Sitting for hours per day doesn’t mean that our muscles don’t get fatigued. The muscles that keep us sitting or standing up can and do get fatigued after being used for a while. 

This can then lead to even worse posture over time, as the fatigue makes it harder to maintain proper posture.

Avoid this fatigue by switching up how and where you’re sitting, standing, etc. Take a five-minute break to stand up and stretch. Go for a short walk around the house or around the block. Move to a different chair or room. 

Whatever you can do to move your body will help as you learn how to fix bad posture. 

1. Stay Mindful

Many people don’t even realize their posture is bad until someone points it out to them or they get a glimpse of their slouched back in the mirror.

Don’t get lazy or oblivious. Take time during the day to notice how you're sitting, standing, and holding your body. 

Have you started to slouch down? What’s your neck position like? Do you feel any soreness you want to address? 

Stay mindful of how you’re treating and holding your body throughout the day to see where your postural problems lie and what you can do to avoid them. Staying mindful also helps you get back to the good posture and position you might’ve started the day with but slacked on as time went on. 

Listening to your body also helps you know when it’s time to go for a walk, when you need a snack, when you need a new chair, etc.