Top Exercises That Improve Posture and Reduce Back Pain

Standing Exercises. Whether you’re in an elevator or standing at your kitchen counter while heating your food, there are easy standing exercises you can do. Reverse high five, for example, only involves standing tall and shrugging your shoulders toward your ears and then relaxing them down. Turn your palms to face the back of the room. Try pressing your hands back like you’re trying to give a double high five. Repeat this 10 times, then rest. Another simple standing exercise you can try is the chest opener. Stretch the front portion of your body by clasping your hands behind your back. Push them down to the ground as you move your arms away from your back. To feel a stretch across, open your chest, then lift your head. Hold this position for five breaths, then release.

Seated Exercises. Do you work from home or in an office? Regardless, you can perform the goalpost squeeze while sitting in an upright chair. Start by lifting your arms and bending your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Keep this goalpost position even with your shoulders. Relax them down, then pull your elbows back to the back of the room. Release, then repeat 10 times. Another excellent seated exercise that can also help improve your posture is the armpit opener. All you need to do is open up your chest by reaching your arms out to your sides, then up and overhead, while seated in an upright chair. Clasp your hands at the top, then stretch them up. Stretch your chest and armpits by bending the elbows to the back of the room. Hold your breath for a second, then straighten your arms back up. Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Floor Exercises. Mini cobra is one of the common floor exercises which you can perform at home. On your bed or a yoga mat, lie down on your stomach. Put your hands on the floor right underneath your shoulders. Start pulling your navel into your spine, squeeze your inner thighs together, then rest your forehead down on the floor. This will be your starting position. After this, bring your head up while pressing down through your palms as you lift your chest off the floor. Do this while keeping your elbows bent. To help stretch your upper back further, try squeezing your shoulder blades together. Gently lower your upper body down to the ground, then rest your forehead back to the surface. Repeat this exercise 10 times.