Straighten out neck posture?

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SuccessHere
SuccessHere Posts: 240 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My partner and I would like to know how to straighten out the neck posture for a middle aged woman and man.

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  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
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    I find simple things like adjusting desk heights/chairs and keyboards to shoulder height (or close to) and computers to eye level to be helpful for preventing neck strain...will wear one out after 12+ hours/day looking at screens all day with one's head tilted down/up based on height
  • AnnofB
    AnnofB Posts: 3,584 Member
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    Keto's point is THE first thing to incorporate.

    I would suggest adding stretches throughout the day that can be done at your desk. There are quite a few stretching exercise programs online that might be useful to you both.

    My Grandmother had kyphosis - "Dowagers Hump" which can be hereditary. I worry about it and am determined to do what I can to have a strong upper body.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    How does your posture look when you stand up tall with your chest out, with your back against a wall? Is that straight enough?
  • xxxMADMAXxxx
    xxxMADMAXxxx Posts: 218 Member
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    I had one developing a few years ago. Loosing weight, frequent stretching (especially ones in which you keep your feet shoulder-width apart and bend with your forehead towards the ground) and placing my laptop at eye-level were things that helped to make it disappear.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Well, it depends on The cause. You could very well have some arthritis or other curvature issue.
    Overall core strengthening can help too.
  • helene4
    helene4 Posts: 120 Member
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    Pilates classes on the reformer helped me so much with my posture! I noticed a difference after my first class def recommend for men and women

    I know guys on my college football team who took Pilates to gain an edge over their opponents

    true story
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Seriously, you just be more aware and adjust.

    Stretching at best is temporary and is not a solution long term.

    Strength training on the other hand could help.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
    edited March 2019
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Well, it depends on The cause. You could very well have some arthritis or other curvature issue.
    Overall core strengthening can help too.

    Right, if it is a serious enough issue that you are asking for advice here you might want to get checked out by a medical professional.

    There's an elderly woman who walks on my Mom's street who has a serious spine curvature going on that probably should have had medical intervention decades ago.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    There are a number of thing you can do—stretching, foam rolling, Pilates, targeted strength and mobility exercises—the internet is full of ideas. In my experience, if this is something you want to achieve, it will take sustained and consistent effort, whatever methodology you choose. It is not something that will improve with a few stretches. I work with a lot of people with kyphosis—very few of them see noticeable improvement because they don’t/won’t do the work.

    However, it is also important to remember that, with this type of condition, the better goal is often just improvement (as opposed to “resolution”). Even small increases in strength and flexibility in this area can make a big difference in how you feel.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited March 2019
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Well, it depends on The cause. You could very well have some arthritis or other curvature issue.
    Overall core strengthening can help too.

    Right, if it is a serious enough issue that you are asking for advice here you might want to get checked out by a medical professional.

    There's an elderly woman who walks on my Mom's street who has a serious spine curvature going on that probably should have had medical intervention decades ago.

    Someone might have abnormal spine curvature and not know it if you've never had spinal xrays done, and it might affect posture but NOT be serious enough to treat medically.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited March 2019
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    I have a terrible neck. Ironically, when I was in my early 20s, I drank a bit too much and stayed over at a friends house and did the "right thing". One my way home the next day, I got T-boned going 60 MPH on a state highway. A university worker ran a stop sign and plowed into me. My neck has been awful since.

    It used to be if I would drive for more than 30 minutes, it would burn it would hurt so bad.

    I row a lot (right now I'm injured so I'm taking a break) and rowing has helped my neck and posture both immensely. A proper rowing technique helps reverse/balance out the bad postures we develop from slumping forward with devices and computers. I also have a desk job, so I'm guilty of electronic posture too.

    I also like folcrum devices that you can lay your head on and just let gravity do the work. There are also posture pumps as well that are fantastic. I do many motion exercises with my neck and rarely have pain any longer.

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