Slouching

It is rare for a human to get through life without developing an unfortunate slouching habit. The average person's head is often bent toward a smartphone screen with a slump in their back and a whole host of health issues waiting for them as they age.


Just about everyone slouches when they sit, and many even slouch when they stand. Is it possible to correct this behavior? The solution for many people is a device that offers posture support for slouching. Sometimes, it just isn't enough to try and remember that slouching is bad. Often, an external device, like a posture corrector brace, is what works best.

Why Is Slouching Bad for the Body?

Not only can slouching lead to back pain, but the action may also aggravate other existing health issues. One of the frightening effects of slouching while sitting at a desk on a computer is that the chest muscles shorten, and the back muscles become weaker.

Unfortunately, these physiological changes may cause significant problems over time. As the muscles become shorter and tighter, many people find that the only comfortable position in which they can sit is in a slouch. The problem is exacerbated over time, and some people even experience pain when they attempt to sit up straight after many years of slouching.

In addition to severe back pain, slouching may also cause problems with joints, as well as circulatory issues. Some people who slouch for years and find they can't truly straighten their posture may find it difficult to breathe deeply and become fatigued due to the lack of oxygen in their body.

Preventing Slouching

It's almost impossible not to slouch when looking at a smartphone screen. The head tilts down, and the body naturally follows, curving the spine into a slouch. Is it possible to prevent slouching, even when vices like smartphones encourage it?

The answer is yes, for just about everyone, and one of the most popular options is a device for posture support for slouching. Some devices are quite simple, like athletic tape. Athletic tape placed on the shoulders can make it difficult to slouch over without feeling the tug of the tape.

Changing position in a chair can help, too. Rather than trying to sit up straight, away from the rear of the chair, try sitting back in the chair. Supporting the spine, so it's straight against the back of the chair is easier than sitting up straight without that support.

Over time, some who engage in frequent slouching may change their behavior with enough situational awareness. Keeping the ears over the shoulders helps promote good posture. Maintaining an upright head position also reduces the likelihood of slouching.

Moving around is also a helpful option for preventing long-term slouching. Simply getting up from a seated position, walking around for a minute, and sitting back down can reorient the body and reduce slouching. Setting an alarm as a reminder to get up helps create a consistent habit.

Reversing a Habit of Slouching

For anyone who has a severe slouching habit or finds that they are too distracted to focus on not slouching, reversing the habit may require the use of an anti-slouching device. Posture corrector devices wrap around the torso and shoulders and keep the body from slouching.

Long-term slouching often causes back pain whenever an attempt is made to sit up straight, which means finding a device that offers back support for back pain might help. Sitting up straight with back pain caused by slouching is difficult.
Using a muscle massager for back pain may make it easier to adopt a habit of sitting up straight. Some people with back pain also report success dealing with pain by performing various yoga poses and integrating a back stretcher for back pain into their exercise routine.

Back pain isn't a certainty in life, but slouching dramatically increases the chance of developing chronic back pain. It's important to take steps early to reverse a slouching habit and to employ posture support for slouching when necessary. Give us a call today for more information on improving your posture.