Whether you’re texting, lounging, sitting at the desk, or just feeling down, the slouch posture puts a lot of stress through the upper back and neck. It’s one of the most common things to seek out care because of upper back pain and headaches that come along with it. Here are some of the best postural exercises for fixing the slouchy pains at bay.

Chin tucks:

• Sit or stand tall.
• Gently draw your chin straight back (like making a double chin), without tilting your head up or down.
• Hold 5 seconds, repeat 10–15 times.

Scapular retractions (rows): 

• Sit or stand tall with arms by your sides.
• Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and down.
• Hold for 3–5 seconds, then relax.
• Repeat 10–15 times, several times a day.

Shoulder rolls: 

• Sit or stand tall with your shoulders down and back
• Roll the shoulders all the way forward, then up, then back, then down like you’re drawing a large circle
• Repeat 10–15 times
• Stop and repeat in the other direction 
• Repeat 10–15 times

Wall angels:

• Stand with your back against a wall, feet 6–8 inches away.
• Flatten your low back and press your arms against the wall in a “goalpost” position.
• Slowly raise and lower your arms like a snow angel without losing contact with the wall.
• Do 2–3 sets of 10 reps.

You should feel after all of this that your shoulders, neck, and upper back have some better ranges of motion. Sometimes clicking can be heard in the shoulders which just means some of the muscles are tight and popping over top of other muscles and tendons. If that is the cause, Book in for a massage and get those tight muscles taken care of! 

Happy posture, happy backs,

Dr. Cole Maranger