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If da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man was based on the modern American, he’d likely have tech neck and plantar fasciitis. Desk jobs and TikTok scrolling are not activities conducive to good posture. When body imbalances go unchecked, it can lead to misalignments and chronic pain.
5980 S. Rainbow Blvd. #300), which provides posture therapy to address pain and physical limitations. The goal is to restore the body’s natural blueprint, because, “You’re not broken,” she says. “You’re just bent.”Amber Okeson has a background in exercise science, is a former trainer, and the owner of Egoscue (
When sitting for long periods, we crane our necks and slouch forward to see our screens, leading to misalignment over time. Poor posture while sitting is a main contributor to hip, back, neck and knee issues and sciatica (nerve pain from the lower back down the leg).
“We say sitting is a sport. You need to train for it,” Okeson says.
engage the hips, glutes and lower back—areas that shut down when you’re in a mesh office chair all day.To counteract sitting-related problems, you must
“Don’t stay in the same position for too long. Get up, walk around and do a few stretches,” she says.
setting a timer every hour to do exercises. That could include sitting on your sit bones to roll the pelvis forward versus it being tucked under. The gentle tilt is going to activate the hip flexors. Okeson suggests
Another way to turn on the hips is to put a small pillow or toilet paper roll between your knees and squeeze it together.
shoulder blade squeezes, like you’re trying to pinch them together. This will naturally start to align your neck, which is better than neck exercises alone. For the shoulders, she says to do
put a rolled-up towel behind your back to remind yourself not to lean forward. “Too much forcing of the neck without addressing the upper back and hips is going to not go well,” she says. You can also
If this sounds like a difficult habit to start, the good news is our bodies want to be in alignment. Okeson says most of her clients start to see physical changes right away. Bigger breakthroughs happen around the one-month mark, the same time muscle memory starts to solidify.
“Posture is your body’s natural state. If you train it, then you’ll have it, so you won’t have to force all these things all the time,” she says. It will get to the point where slouching and bad posture are uncomfortable.
10 to 15 minutes a day can be enough to helpRegular maintenance is key, but prevent canes and walkers in the future.
“If we’re not fine-tuning and rebalancing our body on a regular basis, it will not maintain proper function,” she says, adding that daily therapy leads to feeling better, looking better and moving better.
“You’re doing it for a life well lived.”
3 exercises to reset the slouch
Amber Okeson of Egoscue suggests these desk exercises to train your body for good posture.
Sitting Elbow Curls
This exercise also targets the upper back, correcting slouch and tech neck.
1. Sit in your chair with your feet pointed forward, 4 to 6 inches apart.
2. Place a strap around your knees and apply pressure outward on the strap throughout the exercise. (If you don’t have a strap, that’s OK.)
3. Arch your lower back and roll your hips forward, like with the sitting overhead extensions.
4. With your hips forward and your back arched, put your knuckles at your temples with fingers curled like a golfer’s grip.
5. With your arms at shoulder level, pull your elbows back and then close them in front of your face.
6. Do three sets of 10.
Sitting Overhead Extension
This exercise can reposition the upper back, correct rounded shoulders and prevent forward neck.
1. Sit in your chair with your feet pointed forward, about 4 to 6 inches apart.
2. Arch your lower back and roll your hips forward.
3. Interlace your fingers and press your arms out in front of you, with your palms facing outward.
4. Move your arms overhead with your interlaced palms facing the ceiling.
5. Look up toward your hands. Do not bend your elbows.
6. Hold for one minute.
Sitting Heel Raises with Pillow
This exercise can activate the hip flexors, which get tight and can lead to hip and low back pain from prolonged sitting.
1. Sit in your chair with your feet pointed forward and 4 to 6 inches apart.
2. Put a pillow between your knees and apply gentle pressure, enough to keep the pillow in place.
3. Roll your hips forward and arch your back throughout the exercise.
4. Using your front hip muscles, lift your heels off the floor, then put them back down, not overly fast but in a smooth, controlled movement.
5. Do three sets of 20.
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