How To Avoid Becoming Chair-Shaped

As we get farther and farther away from our natural movements and positions in our increasingly motorized and computerized modern life, our bodies are adapting, but in a way that is not healthy. The optimal health of our bodies is directly dependent on a supple, strong, flexible, and balanced spinal column.  As Joseph Pilates once said, "A man is as healthy as his spinal column."  While prolonged sitting is practically unavoidable, there are some simple steps you can take to help prevent your body from literally becoming "chair-shaped:"

1. Walk regularly:  Our bodies evolved to walk several kilometers a day.  Just as you make the time to eat and sleep, walking must also become an essential component of your life.  Be sure to keep your chin up to improve your posture, and you'll enjoy walking even more.

2. Squat every day:  Before chairs became the norm for sitting, our anscestors were squating.  Since we no longer have to squat whatsoever, it is essential that you make this simple exercise a part of your daily routine. If you can't squat, like all too many people, don't squat lower than your comfort level. As you get stronger and more flexible, you can slowly work toward achieving a full squat.

3. Don't sit when you exercise:  To strengthen your body for your natural upright posture, you should avoid doing most of your excercising while sitting.  Since most sitting exercises never simultaneously involve both your arms and legs, sitting disengages your core and back muscles and effectively disconnects your upper and lower body.

4. Enjoy the present moment:  Keep your mind from focusing on tension, stress, worry and fear about the future. When you think about the future, you subconsciously lean forward slightly, which over time, will change your posture.  As Eckhart Tolle so consicely put it, "You create a good future by creating a good present."

5. Keep your nervous system flowing freely:  Your brain is in constant communication with the billions of nerve receptors in every joint, muscle, and tendon of your body, called proprioceptors. However, subluxations interfere with this communication, making you less aware of poor postural habits. Regular chiropractic care keeps these messages flowing freely, allowing you to have more control of your posture, and enabling you to feel and look human once again.


https://www.walkingwithattitude.com/articles/features/perfecting-your-walking-posture
http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/fohs/SMARL/Publications/effect%20of%20regular%20walking.pdf
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/176843.php