Bad posture

[ilovelamp]

Does anyone else suffer from bad posture? My back is constantly hurting because I slouch. I try to consciously tell myself to stand/sit straight but bad habits are hard to break.

Anyone have any tips for me? Should I visit a chiropractor? Is there any kind of brace I can use to help me?

[beans]

I actually have the opposite. When I was little my family would make fun of me for sitting so straight. It hurt my back to slouch... Even my mom told me to relax during the Christmas pictures one year, haha.

Is there something less extreme than a brace you could find? Like one of those really structured bras like you wear for a wedding dress (KWIM? like a corset?) It seems difficult to slouch in those kind of things. Didn't they used to put a ruler in your pants waistband behind your bra or something to help with that (am i making that up? I could be)?

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Exercises rather than brace, I would think. When my back starts to hurt, l "walk up the wall." Brace my back against a wall, knees bent, and gradually walk up so my back remains against the wall but my legs are straighter. Since I have a bubble-butt I can never get the lower back to remain against the wall but it does help to keep my back straighter and conditions my abs a bit.

I felt a bit vindicated when some PT guy came in to the Pawn Stars shop and told Les his posture sucked and here was something he could do to improve it and showed him the same trick I'd been doing most of my adult life.

But since I am soooooo out of shape right now, it's the entire gamut of trunk-conditioning that I need.

[JakJak]

I'm sorry you're hurting! I would try core strengthening exercises before I would visit a doctor. Something manageable, like a quick 30 mins each day

[prettyinpink]

Pelvic tilts. Lay in the floor with your knees up tilt your pelvis up so that your back is flat on the floor. Lay that way for 10 minutes or so and then tilt your pelvis back to its normal position. Then repeat. It helps me a ton.

[ilovelamp]

Thanks everyone, those are some good ideas! I'm so sick of being in pain

[misshark122]

Pilates. Exercises that open your chest will help.

[beans]

I was also doing yoga just now and thought of this! You should do yoga, lots of straight backs needed

[ilovelamp]

I've been doing yoga for about 2 months now. That's actually when I started noticing how bad my posture was. It's hard (impossible?) to go yoga with a slouched back!