What are 5 Exercises to Improve Your Posture
by Jayson Caalaman PT, DPT
Do you work from home and spend long hours at a desk? Sitting for extended periods can result in forward or slumped posture as you maintain a repetitive reach toward your keyboard. Try these simple exercises to open up your chest and spine! No equipment is needed.
Seated Chin Tucks
Sit with an upright posture and create a double chin with your neck – sinking your head in, rather than tilting your head backward. You should feel a slight pull in the back of your head.
What is the purpose of Seated Chin Tucks?
The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen your deep neck flexor muscles which often get weakened with prolonged forward head posture.
Scapular Retraction
Sit with an upright posture and squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold. Retract your shoulders, do not elevate your shoulders. Imagine a pencil stuck in between your shoulder blades and you are holding it in place by squeezing.
How does Scapular Retraction help improve posture?
The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen your mid-scapular muscles (rhomboids, mid-trap, low-trap) to reduce slumped forward posture.
Wall Thoracic Extension
While standing, place your hands in front of you on a wall. Keep your hands on the wall as you bend forward and bring your hips back. This will help to open up your anterior chain and thoracic extension mobility.
Half Kneeling Wall Open Books
Assume a half-kneeling position by a wall. Keep both arms straight in front of you- one hand maintains placement on the wall and the other arm reaches behind you as far as you can before your hand on the wall becomes detached from the wall. As you rotate, opening up like a book, your head should rotate as well as it follows your moving hand. Performing half-kneeling wall open books will help to improve cervical and thoracic rotational mobility.
Doorway Stretch
Approach any open doorway and keep both arms angled low on the edges as you step forward. You should feel a gentle strength in the chest or front of the shoulders.
How does a Doorway Stretch help improve posture?
The purpose of a Doorway Stretch is to open up your chest and spine, to prevent forward rounded shoulders.