Welcome to the ULTIMATE list of ways to improve your posture… everyday!
Here’s the brutal truth about posture…
A vast majority of us have absolutely shocking posture.
… and it’s becoming an increasingly urgent and growing issue!
- Back pain.
- Shoulder pain.
- Neck pain.
- … You name it. All this pain from bad posture!
If you’re serious about improving your posture, you need to make a DECISION and start to take ACTION.
Your posture is not going to magically fix itself.
Do you want to fix your bad posture?
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The categories:
I have sorted all of the posture tips into 12Â main categories. Feel free to click through!
- General information
- Best exercises for posture
- Walking
- Using the computer
- Sleeping
- Driving/Transport
- Watching TV
- When you need to look down a lot
- Posture devices
- Fashion
- Lifestyle
- The “Not To Do” list
A)Â General information
1. Know what the ideal posture is
How can you improve your posture if you do not know exactly what you are aiming for?
It’s not just about “sitting straight” or “standing upright”.
… There is a little bit more to it!
Have a look at this post: The ideal posture to see and feel exactly what your posture should be.
2. Keep your neck elongated
To prevent a forward head posture, imagine someone is constantly pulling the hair on the back of your head up towards the ceiling.
Think about your neck being “long and tall”.
Do NOT let that chin poke forward!
3. Spread your shoulders
Make your shoulders as long and wide as possible.
Imagine this – you are one of those bodybuilders at the gym strutting around and showing off your muscles.
(It’s not just about squeezing the shoulder blades together.)
4. Do not puff out your chest
Puffing out the chest and arching your back is NOT good posture.
Position your chest/rib cage so that it feeds directly into your pelvis.
5. Sit on your sit bones
Your sit bones are those pointy bits at the bottom of your pelvis.
You can’t sit with good posture if your pelvis not in a good position to start off with.
As you sit down, make sure that you are sitting directly on top of the sit bones.
For more information: How to position your pelvis whilst sitting.
6. Stay relaxed!
… Hey you! Loosen up a little!
Having good posture shouldn’t feel like you’re tensing every single muscle in your body.
The aim is to maintain your optimal posture whilst remaining as relaxed as possible.
7. Take hot/warm showers
Heat is fantastic way to relax those tight muscles that are pulling you into a bad posture.
b)Â Best exercises for posture
8. Chin retraction
Tuck your chin in.
(“Think about the movement as a book sliding back into the shelf”)
Hold this position for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
Remember – “where the head goes, the body follows”.
9. Shoulder roll
Draw 30 big circles with your shoulders in a backwards motion.
This will help counteract all the slouching that you have been doing!
10. Thoracic extension
Lie on top of a foam roller or rolled up towel.
Stretch your arms above your head and feel the opening of your chest.
Sustain this position for at least 1 minute.
11. Wall angel
This is definitely my favorite postural exercise of all time.
Here’s what to do – Place the back of your head, shoulders and spine in direct contact with a wall behind you.
Proceed to glide your hands from the W position to the above head position. (see above)
Aim to keep the whole arm in contact with the wall throughout the movement. Feel the burn!
12. Hip flexor stretch
… Do you sit?
My guess would be a Yes!
In fact, I bet that you are sitting down right now whilst reading this.
With prolonged sitting, the hip flexor muscle group will get very tight and can adversely affect your posture.
Stretch them out for 1 minute each!
13. Perform the Utkatasana yoga pose
The direct translation of “Utkatasana” is powerful posture.
With a name like that, this pose must be great for your posture!
Hold this yoga position (see above) for at least 30-60 seconds.
You should feel all your posture muscles working.
Key points:
- Keep your back straight. Do not puff your chest out.
- Lean forward at the hip. (The more you lean forward, the harder this exercise will be.
- Keep your arms in line with your body.
- Remain lengthened and elongated throughout the whole spine.
- Do not flare out your ribs.
14. Give me more exercises!
Hungry for an extensive list of more postural exercises?
Have a look at these other posts:
- Exercises for Rounded shoulders
- 17 exercises to improve your thoracic spine
- Fix your Hunch back posture!
15. Invest in a foam roller
This is a great DIY tool to release those tight areas.
By placing the targeted area over the foam roller and applying your body weight on the top, the pressure will help release the muscle.
16. Get a massage ball
A massage ball is great for the same reason as mentioned above with the foam roller, however, I would say it’s better for areas that require a deeper release.
C) For when you’re walking
17. Start to “Glide walk”
Take long strides as you walk.
Allow your back leg to remain on the ground for just a bit longer before you lift it off the floor.
Why?…
It engages the butt muscles which are very important in the stabilization of the pelvis.
18. Walk with confidence
Walk (… or strut) around as if you were indestructible, confident and strong.
Stay up right!
19. Don’t look at the floor
Unless there is a good reason, you should not fixate your gaze at the ground whilst you are walking.
Look straight ahead.
20. Pretend there is a pole stuck to the back of your head and bottom
This will help you keep a straight and upright torso.
21. Do not lead with your chin
Keep that chin tucked in and remain elongated throughout your spine.
Pretend that you are trying to be the tallest person in the room.
22. Do not walk with your palms facing behind you
This will place your shoulder in a bad position and encourage you to walk with hunched shoulders.
23. Minimize the amount of carrying
This could be your hand bag, back pack, your kids, shopping bags etc… the list goes on.
If you can limit your exposure to lifting whilst walking, this will help reduce the stress on your postural muscles.
d) Using the computer
24. Get an ergonomic assessment
There is absolutely no way you can maintain good posture if your workstation is not designed to support you.
Talk to someone from work to get a health professional to specifically assess your office chair, desk and computer position.
25. Download my FREE E-book: How to set up your workstation
… Can’t get an ergonomic assessment?
No worries!
I’ll teach you exactly what you need to know in my FREE e-book: How to set up your workstation.
(It’s not as difficult as you may think.)
26. Get a kneeling chair
What can I say… Kneeling chairs are awesome!
This chair automatically places your pelvis in a position that encourages you to sit up right.
27. Sit on an exercise ball
Not only are exercise balls great at the gym, they also promote postural strength when you sit on them.
28. Alternate between different chairs
Is it weird to have 2 different chairs that you use in the office?
I don’t think so.
In fact, I actually have 3 different chairs that I use.
Why should one alternate between different chairs?…
It causes us to MOVE!
Sitting all day without moving is a major cause of symptoms that is associated with bad posture!
29. Get an adjustable standing desk
The standing desk will allow you to continue to work on your computer without having the need to sit all of the time.
Remember – the more you can avoid staying in the one position, the less likely you will get stuck in bad posture.
30. Set an alarm every hour
Regular breaks from sitting is the key.
Set an alarm on either your computer or mobile phone to serve as a reminder to get out of your seat.
(… even standing up for 5 seconds will do you good!)
31. Get a posture buddy
Pick someone else in the office who wants to fix their posture.
Your job is to catch the other person slouching and quickly remind them to sit up right!
32. Move around whilst seated
Who says you need to stay completely still when you’re sitting?
Get your body moving!
(Any movement will do.)
It might look weird, but hey, you will be doing your body a favor.
33. Drink water
Another way to make sure you take breaks from sitting is to drink water regularly.
This will force you to get off your chair, walk down the corridor and go the bathroom.
34. Organize a posture workout with your colleagues
What better way to not only improve your posture, but to help your fellow work mates with their posture at the same time.
Take initiative and lead a 2Â minute exercise class.
Make it fun. Play some music. Have some laughs.
(You might need to ask permission from your boss first though!)
35. Get rid of arm rests
I have to admit… I have never been a big fan of arm rests.
They often prevent you from getting close to the table and if not set up correctly, can actually encourage you to slouch in your chair.
36. Sit on the edge of the chair
This is particularly useful if your chair lacks lumbar support.
You do not want to mold your body into a chair that does not support you!
37. Use a head set
If you are required to use the phone frequently, do not hold the phone between your ear and shoulder.
38. Learn to touch type
If you require to look down at your keyboard to type for long periods at a time, this will place a significant amount of stress through your postural muscles.
39. Use a laptop dock
Do not use a laptop for an extended period of time!
There is no way to maintain good posture whilst using them.
If you must – make sure that you use a laptop docking station and connect a separate keyboard.
40. Reset your posture muscles
You know you have been sitting for too long when your muscles start to hurt.
When this happens:
- Get off your chair and lie down on your back.
- Keep your knees bent.
- Place your arms out to the side.
- Relax your muscles and focus on flattening your entire spine on the ground.
- Assume this position for at least 1-2 minutes.
E)Â Sleeping
41. Sleep on your back
This position is the best as it promotes neutral alignment and symmetry.
For more information: The best sleeping posture.
42. Learn how to do “Stretch lying”
Did you know that you can actually stretch your spine whilst you sleep?
Check out this video by the Gokhale Method to find out how.
43. Sleep on your side
If you can not sleep on your back for whatever reason, the next best position is on your side.
Just make sure to keep your spine in a neutral position.
(Keep in mind – we have no control of how our body will move when we are fast asleep! Start in a comfortable position and pray that you will stay there.)
44. Support the small of the neck
If you are sleeping on the side, tuck your pillow into the curve of your neck.
This is to encourage a more neutral alignment of the neck.
45. Get a memory foam pillow
Since we all come in different shapes and sizes, it is best to get a pillow the molds to your type of neck posture.
46. Use pillow to support body
Once you are in a good position, place pillows around you so that you are as comfortable as possible.
This will reduce the chance that you will move out from the good position into a bad position.
47. Get a firm mattress
The general rule of thumb – the firmer the mattress, the better.
However… it MUST be comfortable!
48. Don’t cuddle whilst sleeping
Hey, I am all for hugs and kisses.
BUT…
Make sure that you aren’t in an awkward position when you do fall asleep!
49. Stretch before you sleep
When you are asleep, you are in the same general position for 7-8 hours which can cause stiffness in the body.
To make sure your muscles are relaxed before sleeping, try incorporating some stretches.
50. Morning routine
Get into the habit of having a morning routine that involves exercises that encourage a healthy posture.
If you want to see what I personally do, check out this post: My morning routine.
f)Â Driving/Public transport
51. Sit for half the trip when taking public transport
You don’t have to stay seated the whole trip whilst travelling on a bus/train.
These are the places where most people get lazy and start to slouch.
Get up! Stand up for a bit.
52. Spread your shoulders
When there are a lot of people on the bus/train and it gets quite squashy, many people are forced to compress their posture to avoid rubbing shoulders with their fellow passenger.
Throw courtesy out of the window and spread those shoulders of yours as much as you can.
53. Set up your car seat properly
Ensure that your car seat promotes your best possible posture.
Check out this post: 9 tips to improve your posture… whilst driving to find out how to correctly set up the seat in your car.
54. Stick to cars that are raised
It is very difficult to sit with good posture in any car seat (… especially in lowered/sports cars).
Cars such as a SUV and 4WD tend to allow more leg room and encourage a better sitting posture.
55. Use lumbar support
Most cars these days come with a built-in lumbar support into the car seat.
Use it to support your lower back.
If your car does not have one, consider using a small pillow or rolled up towel to the same effect.
56. Perform red light chin tucks
Every time you are stopped at a red traffic light, take this time to do some neck exercises.
I am a big fan of chin tucks.
57. Drive with your elbows close to  your body
Do not flare your elbows out to the side whilst you are holding the steering wheel.
This can cause your shoulders to slouch.
Instead – aim to keep your elbows close to the sides of your body.
58. Take breaks on long car trips
It is difficult (… or border line impossible) to sit with good posture in a car seat.
If you are driving for long periods at a time, consider taking frequent stops to rest your muscles.
59. Tuck your butt right into the corner of the seat
Slide that bottom of yours all the way back into your car seat.
This will help place your pelvis in the correct position.
60. Do the yawn stretch
After you get out of the car, get in the habit of doing the “yawn stretch”.
It will stretch out all those muscles that tend to get tight when you drive for a long period of time.
61. Recline your chair
If you are flying overseas and do not have the luxury of travelling first class, make sure that you recline your chair as far as it will go.
Those airplane seats are far too small, uncomfortable and often cause bad sitting postures.
G) Watching television
62. Learn to squat
Not only is this a great exercise for legs, it encourages you to use your postural muscles too.
The deep squat position is also my preferred position to watch television.
63. Avoid the soft couch
I have yet to sit on a couch that encourages good posture…
And I don’t think I ever will.
If you are watching TV on the couch, I would recommend lying down on it instead.
64. Stretch whilst watching television
If you can stretch and watch TV at the same time, why not do it?
2 birds with 1 stone!
65. Go for a walk every advertisement
There are plenty of advertisements when watching your favorite television shows.
… this means there should be plenty of opportunities for you to get up and move your body.
66. Limit your time watching the TV
Do you really need to spend all that time in front of your television?
Get out of the house! Move around. Go for a walk or something.
H)Â When you have to look down a lot
67. Bring book to eye height
When reading, instead of looking down at the page, consider bringing your book to eye level.
68. Bring smart phone to eye height
As above.
69. Minimize tablet use
Don’t slouch over that tablet. I know you do it!
70. Look with your eyes
If you don’t want to bring the book/phone to your eye level, consider glancing down with your eyes whilst keeping the head in a neutral position.
71. Alternate between looking down and eyes glancing down
If in doubt, you can always alternate between the head looking down and eyes glancing down position.
72. Eating
Bring your food up to your mouth.
… And not your mouth to your food.
This might take a bit of practice.
If possible – you could even hold your plate/bowl up towards your mouth.
73.Drinking
When you drink, maintain the upright posture.
Don’t jut out your chin.
74. Break up house chores
Instead of powering through your house hold chores like mopping, doing the dishes, cleaning etc (which all require you to look down), try breaking them into parts so that you are not in the same position for too long.
I)Â Devices
75. Postural taping
Applying posture tape to your back will help encourage maintaining the correct posture.
76. Get a Posture app
There are quite a few smart phone apps that can help with your posture!
It usually involves clipping a small device onto your shirt which then vibrates every time you start to slouch into bad posture.
77. Use postural braces
I would not recommend solely relying on postural braces as they tend to make your postural muscles weak and lazy.
However… if you feel that you need a bit more assistance with your posture, I would advise you to use them in CONJUNCTION with corrective postural exercises.
78. Posture shirts
These posture shirts are specifically designed to help you keep an upright posture.
As mentioned above, they work best when used in conjunction with corrective postural exercises.
J) Fashion
79. Adequate bra support
If you have a large bust size, it is likely that it will pull your posture forward and cause you to slouch.
Make sure that you have a sufficient amount of support in this department.
Since I have no experience with bra fitting, I will leave you to figure that one out yourself.
80. Do NOT wear high heels
I’m pretty sure whoever coined the quote “beauty is pain” must have had bad posture.
Wearing high heels alters the whole mechanics of your standing posture.
Try to stick to flat shoes with no elevated heel.
(… So, my wife just read this point and told me to say that it is okay to wear heels ONCE IN AWHILE. Just don’t wear them every day!)
81. Avoid wearing tight fitting clothes
Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move effortlessly and naturally.
K)Â Lifestyle
82. Set yourself reminders
Place bright post-its (with different postural exercises written on them) on the walls around your house.
Every time you see the post-it, let it serve as a reminder to do some exercises throughout the day.
83. Sort out any gut issues
What do you do when you have a stomach ache?
You probably assume the fetal position.
Any pain/discomfort in the abdominal region will cause the body to hunch over to reduce the pain… at the expense of your posture.
84. Get an eye examination
If you are squinting all the time to see what is front of you, it’s likely that you are poking your head forward to see better.
Consider visiting your optometrist to get your eyes checked.
85. Fix injuries
You may have injuries that are hindering you from having good posture.
Make sure that you address any old or current problems.
86. Be confident
Generally speaking, people who tend to be more confident are more likely to have a more up right posture.
Next time you are walking, imagine you are someone with great power (a president, movie star, whoever you like!)
87. Reduce stress levels
Your postural muscles are also referred to as the stress muscles.
These muscles tend to tense up with increased levels of stress and can affect your posture.
Listening to some relaxing songs, meditate, talking to someone etc. can help reduce tension in these muscles.
88. Take deep breaths
It’s hard to take a deep breath in if you are slouching.
Try it!
Take relaxed and deep breaths regularly throughout the day.
Use those lungs of yours to open up your chest.
89. Lose some weight
Excess weight on your body will place higher demands on your muscles and joints responsible for good posture.
Consider reducing caloric intake and increasing exercise.
90. Be more active!
Bad posture comes from staying in the wrong position for too long!
Your body is designed to move.
Consider taking up swimming, going for walks and/or going to the gym.
91. Start swimming
More specifically, start doing the back stroke.
This is the best swimming exercise for your posture.
92. Take up yoga
This type of exercise is specifically designed to help promote good posture.
It consists of core exercise, stretches and whole lot of other great exercises that are especially beneficial for postural alignment.
93. Take up pilates
As above.
94. Go for a massage
What better way to get rid of your tight muscles than getting a nice massage.
Make it a habit to see a massage therapist on a regular basis.
95. See a physiotherapist/chiropiractor regularly
These health professionals are specifically trained to optimize your body (including your posture).
Go get assessed!
l) The ‘DO NOT’ list
96. DO NOT sleep on your stomach
Not only will this jam up your neck joints, it will also cause you to have a sway back posture. (… and you wouldn’t want to have that!)
97. DO NOT carry your bag on one shoulder
Do you carry a laptop bag, purse or back pack over one shoulder?
Uneven loads on your posture will eventually lead to an asymmetrical posture like Scoliosis.
98. DO NOT cross your legs whilst sitting
Keep your feet flat on the ground.
The aim is to keep the body as symmetrical as possible.
99. DO NOT over train the chest muscles
This one is probably for the gym junkies.
Don’t be like those guys I see who only train the muscles that they can see in the mirror.
When tight, the chest muscles will pull the shoulders forwards.
100. DO NOT be a mobile phone zombie
It is becoming the norm to see people hunched over their smart phones.
I see it whilst people walking, crossing the road, on the train etc.
Look around people!
You are missing out on what’s happening around you!
101. DO NOT finish reading this post without taking at least 5 steps to improve your posture
If you have read this far, you now know at least 100 ways to improve your posture.
However –Â reading alone is not going to fix your posture…
Taking consistent action will!
**** Let’s spread the message! ****
Help a friend out.
Share this post with someone you know who needs to improve their posture.
What to do next
1. Any questions?… (Leave me a comment down below.)
2. Come join me on the Facebook page. Let’s keep in touch!
3. Start doing the exercises!
Hello Mark,
Could you please explain us why in some pictures(in other posts) you’re using a tape on your legs?
Does that help align the knees?
Thanks
And do you have any thoughts for us on Nutrition? Please.
Thanks
Hey Rohit,
I’m not sure which photos you are referring to. (Keep in mind – some of the photos were taken like 5 years ago!)
Mark
Hey Mark, got a question for you. I have an ache in the joint of my toe, I believe this is due to overbidding of my toe. Do you have an idea how to fix this? Thanks!
I meant overextension
Hey there,
If you have over extension of your toe, I would be interested to see what is going on with the rest of your foot.
Do you happen to have high arches?
Mark
Hi Mark,
thanks for the answer.
nope, I don’t have high arches (I believe). I used to do some grappling and I got that trauma when quickly pushed myself in forward direction with my right leg. I feel toe joint pain when I wear some sort of shoes (sandals for example). I quit grappling 1,5 yrs ago, and keep my toe in comfort, but the pain didn’t disappear.
Any ideas?
Hey Stan,
Hyper extension injury to the toe can cause a compression injury at the top of the toe joint.
It can also cause an over stretch injury to the soft tissues on the under surface.
Where is your pain?
Mark
The pain is under the joint.
Hey Stan,
I am not too sure what you mean by “overbidding” of the toe. Could you please clarify.
Thanks.
Mark
Hey Mark,
any ideas?
Hey Stan,
It could be the Flexor Hallucis Longus muscle.
Start strengthening in the lengthened state.
A quick google search will offer some great exercises.
Mark
Thanks, Mark!
Hey mark,
I would first like to say this website is full of useful information. So thank you for that!
I came across this website while looking up egoscue physical therapy because I have disc protrusions (2)in my lumbar spine causing sciatica. And recently I noted a heavy head because of forward posture. I’m hoping that these exercises will really help both conditions?
Hi Christopher,
Check out this post for your head posture: Forward head posture correction.
I don’t have a post on sciatica as of yet, but let me know if you have any questions regarding it.
Mark
I have been down not able to walk to to leg ulcers and no circulation so I’ve been immobile for a year and I’ve had to use a walker to help me walk and due to being humped over it all the time I can’t straighten my neck can this be reversed since its due to putting to much trauma on my neck and shoulders?it’s not a disease it’s has gotten some better,thanks
Hey Melissa,
I would say you can fix it!
Check out this post: Hunch back posture and Forward head posture and Rounded shoulders.
Mark
Hi Mark,
I just came across your website while searching for answers on how to improve my posture and what can I do to improve my condition of stenosis in T11-T12, my head goes forwards, I am aware I put my shoulders up and lean forwards when I walk, my back curvature is prominent inwards and I been told my spine is twisted in itself, I never thought about it till last year when I get a back spring while a tempting a back flip in a trampoline park ( I know stupid from me but one of the instructors had a proximate my build and as front flip was not so difficult I try to copy her in back flip but I landed I thought in my neck but had pain in my back, I was wearing a corset which maybe was a good coincidence, after observation in hospital they just advice me painkillers and told me about the stenosis which they say was congenital and previous my accident, that i could still jump in the trampoline, whick i wouldnt dare now i am plane scare. Please I woukd like some advice, till that moment I never had pain in my back or neck,even do my posture wasn’t good, but after I stayed 3 months with numness in upper legs and back radiating pain in floting ribs and neck when I sit in the car I am plane concern, also I am worried to develop the head forward Sibton further, I don’t want my head to lie down in my chest. I am 34 years old lady, I know being overweigh doesn’t help ( trying already to losing up some weigh through diet already), this last comet is because my mum who is 69 has her head almost falling down like actively looking to the floor and the back like the one from the mister barn you posted in one of your articles, is this genetic? How can I avoid that happening to mi and what advice would you give me for her as well as at this moment she’s been advices by a chiropractic to just try to put her head up so every time she drops her head we tell her to look up, like if she just forgot it, but is basically postural, this is really anoying, specially for her.
could you please advice me what exercise could I do to improve my posture and condition and also what exercises would work for my mum’s.
Thank you very much in advance, great website by the way!
Looking forward to your answers.
Kind Regards
Ingrid
Hi Ingrid,
If you have radiating pain and numbness into your legs 3 months following a back flip onto your neck/back, I would probably get a scan to make sure that you haven’t done anything too serious. You don’t want to be messing around nerve issues as some exercises may even make your symptoms worse.
In regards to your mother… does she have Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis can cause small wedge fractures in the bones that make up the back bone. This can cause a hunchback posture. This post here can help. But because with Osteoporosis the bones are very weak, I would strongly advise your mother to do them under supervision of a trained health professional.
Mark
Hi Mark,
This is some brilliant content you have here, not only that, but you present it very clearly and also positively.
You have made it into my elusive bookmarks folder. In my opinion, people like you are what makes the internet so great.
I have a question, I understand you may not be able to answer to answer it over the internet. But I would trust your perspective, so make of it what you will.
I went kayaking in the cold about a month back, after which I got a strain in my neck.
I have been doing a lot of computer work and writing which has involved a lot of looking down. The strain persisted for about a month. It was nearly gone.
Then I went go-karting, this caused a surprising amount of discomfort I was very stiff for about two weeks. The first few days driving (speed bumps, going around corners) was very uncomfortable. It got a little better from there, but sleeping was ‘very’ uncomfortable, as were any sudden movements I had to make.
It is now much better, I do however, have a sort of concentrated pressure between the side of my spine, and my shoulder blade.
If I jump up and down the pressure pulsates strongly.
It sometimes radiates lightly down my arm (I feel it most strongly near my funny bone & a little up the tricep and down the back of the forearm.)
I believe that I may have a pinched nerve.
Of the information I have found so far, all I’m finding is silly stuff about supplements or steroid injections. I would be more inclined to try and treat it more actively.
When I do some of your stretches I feel a strain in the spot. Im not sure how much to push it, could I do more damage? Would things such as barbell rows to tighten the back muscles be an effective way to correct postural issues? Do you recommend performing traction? Are there any exercises to strengthen the neck muscles, more effectively than say, neck tucks?
etc etc.
Perhaps you have some recommendations?
Regards,
Patrick.
Hey Patrick,
Awesome to hear that the blog has made it to your elusive book marks folder :)
Here are some answers to the questions you have asked:
With any stretch, you should aim for a deep firm pulling sensation. It should not make any symptoms worse.
Barbell rows is one way to strengthen your Rhomboids (muscles between shoulder blade), but there are many other ways also!
Neck traction is awesome for neck pain (if done correctly and is appropriate).
Check out this post on Neck strengthening exercises if you would like more info on that.
Try out the ulnar nerve stretch. Does this reproduce any symptoms?
If it reproduces your funny bone pain, it may be the Ulnar nerve that is affected.
Also, try to stay away from steroid injections! They merely just mask the pain without addressing the root cause.
Mark
Hi Mark,
Just stumbled across your website and am going to start using your great easy-to-follow steps for back pain! ?
A different issue that I can’t budge is the fact that I have developed RSI in my wrists and fingers from typing my dissertation in a tight period (ikr). I rested them over the university summer break but now that I’m typing again at work, they can really hurt.
I’ve got myself the right tech to prevent further damage (ergonomic keyboard and mousepad) and try to use a stress ball to gently move my hand muscles. What else would you suggest doing?? They just feel really weak and flimsy!
Thanks in advance!
Hey Ollie,
The main thing with typing is taking regular breaks.
The second most important thing is making sure you are typing with neutral wrists (see below).
If there has been some sort of damage to your structures in wrists, try doing these 3 things to help speed up your recovery and prevent it from coming back.
1.Release all the tendons/muscles in your wrist/forearm.
– Since your pain is more in the wrist and fingers, try to extend the releases to these areas as well. But do the whole fore arm! (it’s all connected)
2. Stretches:
– Hold for at least 30 seconds. 5-7 times a day minimum
3. Strengthening:
I’ve written a post specifically for Elbow tendonitis, but most (if not all) exercises can be used for wrist tendonitis as well. Have a look at this post here.
Persist with these for a good couple of weeks. Let me know how it goes mate!
Mark
Your website is amazing! I love how you not only share a wealth of information through your detailed clear articles, but your exercises and the descriptions /pictures/videos accompanying them are detailed and understandable. Thank you!
I don’t know if you can help me with my specific problem. I’ve been to a chiropractor, optometrist, neurologist and family doctor in the past week, and none of them have a clue what is causing my problem.
A few weeks ago, my head started feeling heavy. Like someone was standing on it. And as I bend over, the further I bend the heavier it gets…like gravity is pulling it down. It has been debilitating. I can’t be up for long, as I need to sit down and rest. I am not able to do very many regular daily activities because of this.
I just had an MRI of my head last month (checking for tumors, etc.) and they found none. It may help you to know that the last month I have spent lying down or sitting much of the days and evenings, because of other health issues which are now better. I wondered if my neck muscles have gotten weak from non- use. Also I had cat scan a week ago (abdominal issues) and they reported that I have a levoscholiatic curve in my spine. I am 68 and have had poor posture as long as I can remember. Do you have any idea what would cause my head to feel so heavy? I have no pain, dizziness or lightheartedness. This head problem has only been for the past 2 or 3 weeks. I woul be grateful for any help you can provide.
Hey there Jonnie!
If they have not found anything sinister that may be causing your symptoms, I would try to release your SUB-OCCIPITAL muscles.
Place the ball under your head as to press into the areas underneath the base of the skull.
Practice rotating your head from side to side to emphasise certain areas.
Generally speaking, if it hurts, you are on the right area.
Aim to get a solid 5 minutes of this.
Do both sides.
These muscles in particular can cause a sense of heaviness in the head.
Since you have been on bed rest for a prolonged amount of time, you may have some de-conditioning of the muscles that are responsible for keeping your head up right.
You can check out my neck strengthening guide here.
Mark