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5 Easy Postural Changes To Avoid Back Pain
Do you suffer from headaches, neck tension, back pain or aching muscles in general?
As a Pilates instructor I work with a lot of clients who are looking to heal these painful pathologies.
Pilates is tremendously successful in restoring these clients to a place of healthy and pain-free living but in order for Pilates to truly help, it must be taken out of the studio.
What you learn on your mat must be applied to your daily life.
If you spend 1 hour per week on your mat and 40+ hours sitting at your desk with bad posture, there’s a slim chance that your pain will improve.
Practicing Pilates on a regular basis increases your awareness of your body in all areas of life, including your daily routine. Understanding proper alignment and how your body was made to move can significantly impact the way you feel on a daily basis.
There are few simple postural changes you can make to your daily tasks that will help you avoid back pain and injury down the road.
This list is by no means exhaustive or detailed. But I know you’re busy so here are a few, quick, easy changes that will help you feel better right away.
1. Blow drying your hair/washing your face
Rather than rounding forward, hinge at your hips and maintain a flat back to avoid compression in your spine.
2. Driving
Rather than hunching over the wheel, place your sit bones directly underneath you (bucket seats like to push you OUT of this position) and bring your head back over your spine.
3. Picking up your child/heavy objects
Bend at the knees, not in the back.
4. Holding your baby
It is SO hard to avoid popping your hip out to the side but doing this day after day can cause real problems. When possible, use both arms to support your child and switch sides regularly.
I don’t know about you but I tend to hold Blake on my left hip while I’m doing things with my right hand. I know it’s unavoidable sometimes but do your best to adjust your posture when you can.
5. Sitting at your desk
Sit up on your sit bones rather than back on your tailbone. Relax your shoulders down your back and keep your head over your spine (forward head is a common cause of neck pain). Simple change, BIG impact.
Remember that simply being mindful of your posture throughout the day can go a long way. These little changes may be just what you need to feel better and avoid long-term damage.
Question: when do you find it hardest to maintain good posture?
xo,
PS – The countdown is ON! 7 days until the kickoff of the Pilates Summer Series! Free Pilates every day. Are you signed up yet? It’s all online and it’s FREE! I can’t wait to get started. 🙂
Robin Long
Robin Long, founder and CEO of Lindywell, certified Pilates instructor, Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, and author of 'Well to the Core,' blends 15 years of expertise with a lifelong commitment to holistic health.
Learn more about Robin Long
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8 thoughts on “5 Easy Postural Changes To Avoid Back Pain”
I’m guilty of SO many of those! But from practicing the past few weeks (I’ve also been doing the February videos) I’ve become more conscious of what I’m doing in my day to day life. Still got work to do because just this morning I was rounding over to dry my hair exactly like your photo! Oooooooops! 😉
I do carry my baby the good way and I can defenitly feel the difference.
for me the hardest posture to maintain is the sitting at the desk one.
Thank you for all your good advise.
Sitting on bleachers is my biggest postural challenge.
Since I’ve started with Pilates this year I’m much more attentive concerning relaxing my shoulders during the day. I was pretty amazed about how often I hunch my shoulders unconsciously (especially when sitting at my desk)!
Sitting everywhere.. it is just a bad habit and I do it without thinking about it. I can try and maintain a correct posture for some minutes but latter I forget and when I notice, the bad posture is back. Nice advices!
i love this. girl you are looking thin! i guess that happens when you do pilates all day every day! you always look good.
also, on an unrelated note…where is that wood kitchen table from!? i’m in the market for one just like it!
xoxo
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What a great article. As a chiropractor I have many patients that complain of new backpain however many of them can never tell me what they think it could be from. I really found use in this read!