If you’re looking to correct your posture, give yourself a pat on the back. More and more people are becoming concerned about correcting their posture, and for good reason. In the computer age, where many people slouch at their desk for hours, bad posture is becoming more and more of a problem. Getting an early start on reversing bad posture is your best bet for avoiding serious problems down the road.

Permanently improving posture is a multi-step process, which we have written about elsewhere on this website. But if you are concerned about a rounded back and shoulders, a posture support brace is a good place to start. While a posture brace won’t automatically reverse bad posture, the right posture support brace will help remind you throughout the day about proper posture.

Our Favorite Posture Corrector for Rounded Shoulders

While there are many cheap posture braces, you need to look for something that is not too flimsy. You need to find a brace that will provide enough posture support so that you don’t simply forget about it. While some posture control braces focus mainly on curved shoulders, braces that support that whole torso are better for reversing a rounded, hunched back.

If you’re concerned about rounded shoulders, this posture brace is our top pick. It wraps around your shoulders to pull the shoulders back, and the non-elastic bands are soft enough to provide a secure fit without cutting into your shoulders.

The main benefit of posture support braces for the upper back is that they remind you to correct your posture, they don’t automatically do it for you. Unfortunately, with cheap posture braces, you often run into the problem that the elastic band simply isn’t strong enough. After ten to fifteen minutes of wear, you forget that they are there and revert to your usual slump.

This posture brace offers strong elastic support and the fulcrum in the back also helps to prevent slouching. This posture support brace offers such strong support that the straps may begin chafing your shoulders slightly after 30 minutes wear. While that’s somewhat uncomfortable, it’s a good thing in our book–it forces you to remember to sit straight! Just don’t wear the strap so long that you experience any serious discomfort. Wear it a couple of times throughout the day 30-60 minutes each time, and you should see some good results. The straps can be adjusted to become increasingly firm as your posture improves.

Relatively speaking, this posture support brace is fairly pricy, as posture correctors go. However, while you can find less pricy versions with a similar design, they provide less durable support. The best price we have found is on Amazon.

Posture Corrective Brace

Posture Corrective Brace

 And if your looking for a less expensive option:

Posture Perfect Support

Posture Perfect Support

For more information about the best posture support braces, also see these articles:

The Soft Form Posture Control Brace

Technorati Tags: Bad Posture, Improve Bad Posture, Posture Braces, posture correction, Posture Support, rounded shoulders

If you are concerned about rounded shoulders and bad posture, the idea of getting a posture brace, which can provide additional posture support and help straighten you up, is appealing.

While a posture support brace can be a great posture improvement aid, remember that this kind of external posture support only is half of the solution. Posture braces can be a great aid in reminding your body of keeping a proper posture. However, just wearing a posture brace is rarely enough on its own. You also need to do corrective posture exercises to develop the muscles that allow your body to maintain proper posture after you’ve taken the brace off.

Shopping for a posture brace can be a daunting task. There are many different varieties of posture braces, and they serve different posture support issues. Some focus on reversing rounded shoulders, some on general posture support, and some on lumbar support. In this article we will focus on posture support braces for the shoulders and upper back. Lumbar support braces are a category of their own, which we will address in a different blog entry.

Here are eight tips for selecting the best posture support brace.

1. To begin with, know which aspect of your posture is the one you need the most help with. If it’s your shoulders, make sure the brace you are considering provides straps that effectively pull your shoulders back. If your concern is curvature of the spine, consider a brace with stiffer reinforcements along that area.

2. Many posture braces that correct shoulder slumping feature thin straps that can, over time, dig into the underarm area. Check to see that the product you are looking at features either larger straps, or some form of padding. Otherwise, consider wearing a t-shirt underneath to prevent chafing along the strap area.

3. Many braces advertise that they can be worn under clothing, but some are a little bulky (especially if you end up needing to wear a t-shirt underneath as well as over top). You can usually tell from product images and customer reviews whether or not the brace will be noticeable.

4. Some posture braces are constructed from latex. While latex provides flexibility, it is not in the least bit breathable. Choose a brace made from Lycra, spandex, or other fabrics to ensure proper ventilation.

5. Some posture braces provide more support that others. If the support is too weak, you will quickly forget about the brace and slump back into a bad posture. So look for a brace that is firm enough to keep reminding you of proper posture.

6. When purchasing a posture brace, don’t sacrifice quality for price. Remember, you are purchasing a device for your health, and you want one that will effectively improve your posture and/or back pain. A well constructed device will serve you better in the long run.

7. Adjustability is an important feature. Every body is built differently, and even specifically sized posture braces can’t offer the perfect dimensions for everyone. If you are having a hard time finding a posture brace that fits your body properly, look for one with adjustable straps.

8. Sizing on posture braces is not necessarily straightforward. Whenever it is possible, check the customer reviews to see whether it might be better to order a size larger/smaller.

For a review of some of the best posture support braces, also check out the following articles:

Posture Support: Our Top Picks for Posture Braces that Encourage Proper Posture

The Soft Form Posture Control Brace

Technorati Tags: Bad Posture, Improve Bad Posture, Posture Braces, posture correctors, Posture Support, rounded shoulders

Have you ever noticed the curious phenomenon that as you grow up, at one point you actually start growing down? 

If you’ve reached your mid-fifties or later, go ahead, measure yourself. Chances are you’ll discover something peculiar. You’ve shrunk. Perhaps just half an inch, perhaps an inch, perhaps even more. So, what’s the big deal? You’ve always wanted to drop a size or two, right? Well, you got it.

Unless you take steps to reverse this trend, by the time you reach your 70s, you’ll likely have lost 2-3 inches in height.  While shrinking an inch or two in itself is nothing to worry about, the processes that cause the reduction in size are something you should care about. Two main processes are involved in this loss of height.

 Firstly, as you age, the discs between your vertebrae lose moisture and dry out. Healthy discs act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. When they dry out, they become less supple and provide less of a cushioning effect. Worse, drier discs change shape and become flatter and thinner, making them more prone to injury and to the kind of degenerative changes that may lead to chronic back pain down the road.

 The other huge factor in the shrinking equation is the age-related deterioration of posture, which begins to set in as early as age 25. At that point, the soft tissues begin to weaken and give in to the relentless pull of gravity. For most people, the first visible signs of poor posture back support is a forward head and rounded shoulders.

And here is the bad news: if you don’t start doing corrective posture exercises and take other steps to correct posture, rounded shoulders and forward head posture will gradually develop into a hunched back, a.k.a. hyperkyphosis. Believe us, you don’t want that. Not only is that kind of posture bad from an esthetic point of view (it makes you look a lot older), you set yourself up for a host of health problems down the road.        

Useful Resources:

Technorati Tags: back hunch, Bad Posture, Corrective Posture Exercises, Forward Head Posture, hunched back, hyperkyphosis, posture support brace, yoga for hyperkyphosis

The effects of bad posture go further than that, however. We’ve written elsewhere about the effects of one of the most common posture imbalances: forward head posture, which is the precursor of age-related dowager’s hump. However, there are many other ways in which poor posture affects your physical health.

One group of researchers, led by John Lennon, BM, MM. C. and Norman Shealy, M.D. put it this way:  “[We believe] that posture affects and moderates every physiologic function from breathing to hormonal production. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse, and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture.
The most significant influences of posture are upon respiration, oxygenation, and sympathetic function. Ultimately, it appears that homeostasis and autonomic regulation are intimately connected with posture. The corollary of these observations is that many symptoms, including pain, may be moderated or eliminated by improved posture.” (See quote source below.)

Translation? Posture impacts all bodily functions, in particularly breathing and therefore whether or not the body’s cells get proper oxygen supply. Posture also affects the sympathetic function of the body, and thereby its ability to regulate its internal environment in response to outside changes.

To elaborate: The spinal cord is the central channel through which flow all the nerves of the central nervous system. The central nervous system, of course, is the central command center which coordinates the activity of all parts of the body.

The spinal cord houses the nerves, which carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. The central nervous system is responsible for maintaining the homeostasis, or internal balance, of the body. Through the flow of nerve information back and forth, it monitors, detects, interprets, and responds to changes in the internal and external environment. The nervous system then responds by sending electrochemical impulses through nerves to muscles, glands, and other parts of the body needed to respond to changes in the external environment.

Osteopaths and chiropractors have told us for many years: structure impacts function.  Bad posture may impact the health of the body by hampering the function of the central nervous system—the proper flow of nerve information from the peripheral parts of the body to the brain. If the integrity of the spinal cord deteriorates due to poor posture, the integrity of the flow of nervous system information to the brain may be affected. Structure impacts function.

As the researchers further state: “Posture and normal physiology and function are interrelated. Abnormal posture is evident in patients with chronic pain-related conditions including backache, headache, and stress-related illnesses.”

The bottom line: Doctors of osteopathy and chiropractic have long maintained that structural imbalances put people at greater risk for functional imbalances, i.e. it increases the susceptibility to disease. The most common structural imbalance people face is bad posture.

The good news of course is that bad posture is also the structural imbalance over which you have the most control. The poor posture cascade can be reversed by taking steps to correct your posture.

Corrective posture exercises, posture support braces, and core strengthening activities are a great place to start—as is simply paying attention to your posture and bearing throughout the day.

Remember, bad posture is created moment by moment, predominantly by poor habits and weakened posture support muscles. Good posture is created moment by moment as well—by reversing your moment-to-moment posture habits and strengthening core posture support muscles, you will be able to gradually reshape and improve your posture.

Source: John Lennon, BM, MM, C. Norman Shealy, MD, Roger K. Cady, MD, William Matta, PhD., Richard Cox, PhD, and William F. Simpson, PhD, American Journal of Pain Management, Vol. 4, No. 1, January, 1994

Download Corrective Posture Exercise video for increased posture support strength:

Click here to buy Posture Strength

Great Posture Brace to Reverse Forward Posture and Rounded Shoulders:

Click here to buy Body Rite Posture Pleaser

Technorati Tags: Bad Posture, Corrective Posture Exercises, Forward Head Posture, improve posture, poor posture

Here are the top eight features you should consider when buying a desk chair:

Feature 1: Does the Chair Support Good Posture or Bad Posture?

First, good posture is a critical feature to look for when buying a desk chair. The chair should be adjustable to a height where your feet can rest on the floor comfortably. The thighs should be square in relation to the floor and fully-supported meaning that they do not slope down as you sit. A very important aspect of this is the back lumbar support. As you sit, there should be a 90 to 105-degree angle formed by your torso and upper legs. Of course the chair should tilt back but not so easy that you fall. And overall, the chair should allow posture changes easily and frequently.

Some chairs are created just for the purpose of helping you strengthen your core posture support muscles and reverse bad posture. The most common form of these is the exercise ball chair (see below), which can be a great way to get a core work for improving posture while at work. If you want a more traditional office chair, here are some more features to take into account.

Feature 2: Chair Type

Second, the type of desk chair is important too. There is the heavy use chair that should be a first choice among those who sit at a desk for very long hours. Typical occupations benefiting from the heavy use chair are computer programmers, web designers, and receptionists. The key to a chair like this is that the person sitting in it can tilt it in any direction while the entire chair moves with the tilt. The end result is that there is constant back support. This has the effect of reducing fatigue.

Another type of chair is the moderate use chair. This chair is good for those who are not constantly at their desk but moving throughout the office. This would be characteristic of a middle manager or line supervisor. Some of these chairs have knee-tilt mechanisms that allow one to lean back in the chair but keep the feet on the ground–unlike the heavy use chair where all parts of the chair move. Without this mechanism, there would be a lot of discomfort over extended periods of time. The moderate use chair typically has a more-stylish look than that of most desk chairs.

A third type of chair is much more elaborate and that is the executive chair. The executive chairs are somewhat like the moderate use chairs but much more plush and comfortable. They have an executive “look” about them. Of course these chairs focus on style and comfort but they are not for extended periods of sitting and are good for executives who are running in between meetings as well as spending a significant amount of time on the phone and computer. Executive type chairs give a look of authority in their style.

Feature 3: Back Lumbar Support

The back rest of the office desk chair should be studied closely prior to choosing your chair. Many don’t know the term lumbar but they do know about the curvature of their spine at the lower back. This is known as the lumbar region and the back rest of the chair should support it while seated. You will find that you will become very fatigued without this support. See if there are mechanisms to maintain the lumbar support irregardless of the chair position.

Feature 4: Chair Height

There should be a mechanism to quickly and easily adjust the chair height. The height of the chair should be such that the thighs are horizontal with the floor. Some older chairs make you have to twist a cylinder at the neck of the chair to adjust the height. The problem is that you cannot quickly adjust it like those with convenient levers. Improper chair height will quickly cause you to get fatigued plus cause circulation problems. If the chair is too high, you’ll find yourself bending forward to see the computer screen and keyboard. If it is too low, you’ll find you will have circulation problems in your legs and will have to raise your arms too high to type.

Feature 5: The Seat Pan

The best type of seat pan for a desk chair is one that has a rounded or waterfall edge at the front. The seat pan is basically where you sit. The seat pans with rounded or waterfall edges take pressure off of the legs and help with circulation. There is a mechanism known as a forward slider that will adjust the depth of the seat pan. You are trying to adjust to three to four fingers between the back of the knees and the front edge of the seat pan so that there is optimum circulation to the legs. The width of the seat pan should extend at least one inch on both sides in order to have the best comfort. There should also be a tilt adjustment so that one can keep the pressure in check at the back of the thighs. Optimum leg circulation is the key here.

Feature 6: The Arm Rests

Arm rests are critical to taking tension off of the shoulders and neck. The arm rests should be quickly adjustable for different tasks such as one position for reading.

Feature 7: Fabric

You will want to choose a fabric that “breathes” well so that you don’t sweat a lot. Of course you will also want to choose a fabric that is appealing to the eye.

Feature 8: Stability

This goes without saying. You don’t want a desk chair that is unstable for safety’s sake. This chair should tilt with you but not to a point where it easily topples over. Casters should be hard for carpeted floors and be coated with rubber for hard surfaces.

In summary, take the time to carefully shop for your desk chair. Injuries due to poor posture can be very painful and counterproductive. You need to remember you will be in your chair a lot. If you are uncomfortable or even just slightly irritated by the chair you are sitting in, it will most likely increase over time so that you will find that it interferes with your productivity and even your mood. Being just a little unhappy about your chair will affect you every time you sit in it. And any back pain form your chair can affect you 24/7 not just when you are sitting.

Useful Resource for Better Office Posture

Get Fit While You Sit

FitBall Exercise Ball Chair – with Choice of 55cm Ball

Ergonomic Office Chair at a Great Discount

High Back Mesh Ergonomic Task Chair With Adjustable Arms [BT-6001-GYBK-GG]

Improve Your Existing Chair With Lumbar Support or a Pillow Wedge

POSTURE PERFECT MASSAGING BACK SUPPORT CUSHION WITH MEMORY FOAM. YOUR SEAT SOLUTION.

Angel Sales PosturePro Lumbar Support

Stress Wedge – Office Chair Pillow, Pillow for Chair, Chair Pillow, Chair Cushion

Edwin Passorio
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/top-8-features-to-consider-when-buying-a-desk-chair-92003.html

Technorati Tags: back lumbar support, Bad Posture, desk chair, good posture, office chair