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Poor posture — an epidemic in 2010?
We all seem to be spending a higher percentage of our days hunched over our computers. Whether we’re at work, at the local Starbucks, or at home, most of us spend hours a day at a computer. Email and social media have become an integral part of our daily lives, and most of us are slouching while we’re at our computers.
To make matters worse, most of us are still spending significant time watching TV and driving, two activities where most people are not in ideal posture.
Remember you’re mother telling you to stand up straight? Well, think about today’s kids who are at a computer or playing video games for most of their days. Poor posture is rapidly becoming part of our culture and the negative effects go far beyond a sore neck and bad back.
Bad posture = poor health
People with poor posture suffer untold numbers of negative consequences. These can include obvious issues such as neck and back pain, misaligned spine, rounded, slumped shoulders, osteoporosis and arthritis. But it can also lead to less obvious side effects including decreased energy, poor organ function, abdominal discomfort, and scores of other problem.
Additionally, poor posture gives one the appearance of poor health, low self-esteem, and an overall lack of confidence.
Posture corrective braces, the miracle cure?
Traditional posture braces come in various sizes, materials and configurations. From thin, elastic, over-the-shoulder posture bras, to Velcro vests and back braces made of surgical tubing, they all attempt to do the same thing: pull one’s shoulders back to maintain an upright stance and straight, correct posture. The problem with most posture braces is that they actually do put the user into correct posture. So why would that be a problem?
The problem with traditional posture braces is that they do the work for you. The passive nature of having one’s shoulders pulled back serves to weaken the back muscles, which actually worsens one’s posture over time, thus defeating the very purpose of using a posture correction brace.
Most people who have tried traditional posture braces have experienced the discomfort, the chafing under the arms, and the difficulty of use most devices offer, but most don’t realize that in the process of trying to improve one’s posture, the user could actually be causing long-term atrophy of the muscles in the back that are required for good posture.
A better solution
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