Text Neck, Mac Back, and Poor Posture
- are we the first generation that is going backwards in evolution?
The human body was made for motion, whether hunter-gathering, running from predators, harvesting in the field, or playing football/tennis/running track - you name it - we weren’t made to be sitting all day long.
Talking of sitting - that’s a whole other story - but you have probably heard that ‘sitting is the new smoking’ - the long hours spent being inactive have led to an explosion in health problems worldwide. Whether directly or indirectly related to sitting. Problems such as poor posture, back pain, hip pain, sore stiff joints, or weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, increased stress levels, anxiety to name but a few. The list is a long one!
The reasons we sit for such long hours is the changing lifestyle we have become so accustomed to. Office jobs, movies, dinners out, chilling in front of the tv, driving from A to B, long distances between those points so we indeed have to drive or take some form of transport,and many other reasons. And the design of our sofas and chairs has a lot to answer for. And though there has been a slow but much welcomed shift towards more ergonomic design, we are still to far from where we need to be. Especially if lifestyle is going to continue to have us sitting for such long hours.
The other culprit of keeping us sitting for such long hours is of course the advent of dreaded technology. I feel there is no arguing the fact that technology has improved our lives in a magnitude of ways, yet it is also to blame for a huge amount of problems the human body, and society in gegenral, is now exposed to.
Sitting for hours hunching over desktops and laptops, texting on the go, being constantly contactable and on call, has wreaked havoc on our bodies, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. (Think social media, and trying to live up to unreal expectations, think less human contact and feelings of being alone or left out, think increased stress levels and the knock on effects such as high blood pressure, anxiety, think the development of poor eyesight from not spending enough time looking into the distance, and so so much more).
And this mental and emotional ‘attack’ has very real physical effects on our bodies. This combined with actual physical lack of, or reduced activity can wreak havoc and the delicate balance that the human body has.
This does all sound like doom and gloom, and if your not throwing your computer out the window right now (I hope not, ironically, because I want you to finish reading this article!), what is the solution?
That’s where we come in. Having experienced first hand myself the disastrous effects of inactivity, the downwards spiral of pain, depression, over eating to feel better, more pain, even less activity, I know how it feels to be constantly in pain and feel like nobody understands, and nobody can help.
The road to ‘recovery’ might be a long one, depending on what your starting point is, but there is definitely ‘a way out of the woods’.
My biggest go to was, and is, Pilates, combined with weight work, and energy work for mental and emotional balance. The outcome has been little short of miraculous!
Pilates is a godsend for those who are not used to moving too much or doing vigorous workouts. However, don’t let that put you off if you are already at a good level of fitness, as Pilates offers an amazing, challenging workout at the other end of the ability range too.
But back to those who may have bad backs, aching knees, sore necks and tight shoulders (I think I ’ve just covered half the population!) Pilates is a wonderful way to improve strength in the supporting and surrounding muscles and joints, so relieving all the pressure that may be causing you pain. Building strength and improving condition generally throughout the body also has huge benefits for the body as a whole and can aid in releasing and relaxing overworked muscles. Pilates is also first class at improving ‘range of motion’ so that we are less likely to suffer from sprains, strains and injuries.
If this all sounds too good to be true, don’t take my word for it, come and try a session with myself or my trusted instructors.
I am so passionate about lifting people up from whatever their starting point might be. And we take the route that works best for you. Sessions are available both in a studio setting or the more private home based studio (for those of you who are a little uncomfortable being in the studio. Or indeed for those who just prefer the more relaxed environment of a home).
The Pilates Reformer is the perfect equipment to use as it caters to a range of needs, offering both assistance and challenge.
So don’t wait for the pain to start, or get worse, don’t wait for the depression to set in, don’t wait to go up another dress or trouser size, don’t do it to yourself. Pick up your phone and message us, or email, and start the journey to transform yourself to a better version of yourself, a pain free, happier, healthier you.
www.insideoutpilates.org
