When suffering from the effects of bad posture, one should perform posture exercises to tone the back and neck muscles to return the spine to its natural alignment. Poor posture can affect any area along the neck, back, and head area.
Ideally, the proper neutral posture is when the body has the shoulders vertically aligned with the hips, with a flat stomach, the chin is slight in and the spine is elongated, with a slight inward arch in the lower back. This posture can be maintained whether sitting down or standing straight.
Many people feel aches and pains in their shoulder, neck, and back muscles when they sit or stand in an unnatural position. This is common among people with desk jobs where they are slouched over in their chair for 8 hours or more a day. Eventually, the muscles become strained or tight and this causes pain or numbness.
To prevent this from happening, and to treat those who are already affected by poor posture, posture exercises must be performed. They often involve stretching to improve flexibility, and forcing yourself to stand and sit with good posture.
In some cases, light weight training exercises can be done to strengthen weak muscles which are having difficulty supporting the body as it stands or sits with correct posture.
To learn more about the kinds of posture exercises you can do to correct bad posture and alleviate discomfort, read the guides below.