Mobility and posture are items people do not put on their list to improve for their new year resolutions. Every January, everyone prioritizes building muscle or losing weight. If more people work on their mobility and posture, those two will open the door for more muscle, less weight, and better health. Dr. Randall Thompson is a chiropractor and owner of the Miami Spine Clinic in Miami, Florida. He adjusts patients five days a week and advises the proper nutrition and exercises for people to be their best selves. Dr. Thompson has posture and mobility tips you can apply for a stronger and more limber you in 2023.
Dr. Thompson launched Miami Spine Clinic in 2014 and He has been adjusting patients since 2011. Dr. Thompson graduated with a Doctorate of Chiropractic in 2011 from Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida. He graduated with his bachelor’s in Biology in 2007 from Florida A&M University. Dr. Thompson got into this line of work from his father. His dad is a chiropractor, and he watched him help many people in the inner city. Now, Dr. Thompson does the same while creating comedic, healthy and insightful videos on Instagram. Dr. Thompson considers himself a facilitator of health. He wants his patients and those he comes across to have optimal health. The key to optimal health is movement.
“Movement is medicine. People don’t want to move anymore but need to move to take care of their spine and the body,” said Dr. Thompson.
Improved Ergonomics
Dr. Thompson’s first tip for better posture is improving your Ergonomics. This term describes the efficiency of people in their work environment. The position of how you look at your phone, how you work on your computer at the desk, even the steering wheel position in your car all are connected to ergonomics.
The CDC explains that soft tissue injuries and musculoskeletal disorders are caused by sudden or sustained exposure to force while in an awkward posture or repetitive motion, which means the more time you spend in an uncomfortable position or doing a movement that is not natural to the body, the higher the chance the body may be stuck in that position.
“There’s so much technology, people looking down at their phones and computers. They’re looking down at everything. What happens is their head starts to translate forward. Most people you see now have their head forward, shoulders rounded, looking like a grandma Walmart.,” said Dr. Thompson.
Having a chair that better aligns with your spine or investing in a standing desk is one of the suggestions to combat this issue. Placing items under your laptop or Elevating your computer is another way to prevent hunching over and looking down at the computer.
If those aren’t feasible, taking a walk during long sessions on the computer can be effective. According to Dr. Thompson, every 30 minutes while you’re sitting down, you should get up and take a walk break. Walking will help prevent your glutes and hamstrings from weakening and release your body from bad posture. Dr. Thompson further elaborates that your ears should align with your shoulders and hips for good posture.
Exercise and Movement
Exercise is another step that can be applied for better posture. Dr. Thompson recommends swimming, yoga, weightlifting, or any exercise with a lot of movement for better posture. Rowing and pulling exercises can help with the rounding of the shoulders. Dr. Thompson explains that the hunching over that is caused by too much screen time leads to a weak posterior chain or Upper cross syndrome. This syndrome affects the muscles in the back of your shoulder, causing them to be weak. The way for them to gain strength is through more pulling motions. Rowing and back exercises can add to the pulling movements.
Stretching frequently
Stretching is another tool for better posture and mobility. Dr. Thompson recommends two stretches, the hip flexor stretch, and the standing pigeon stretch, for those who sit down for most of their time at work.
“Stretching can help with mobility and posture tremendously. Sitting for long periods gets your glutes and hamstrings weak, and when they are weak, they cause your hips and pelvis to tilt forward and make your hip flexors tight,” said Dr. Thompson.
To do the hip flexor stretch, you first go into a lunge, push your glutes forward and lift your arms; after that, you lean to the opposite side. Repeat the process with the other side of your body until you stretch out all parts. The standing pigeon stretch requires you to cross one leg over another, bend the knee without holding the back, and remain in that position as long as possible. Repeat the same steps with the other knee. Dr. Thompson encourages you to do these stretches when you have been sitting for 30 mins or longer.
Dr. Thompson’s mobility and posture tips can easily be applied to anyone’s daily routine. Suppose we pay attention to our everyday activities and do things more naturally to the body. In that case, we can all be standing tall for 2023. More information from Dr. Thomson can be found on Miamispineclinic.com.