Are you slouching right now? Meaning do you have a forward head posture, shoulders internally rolling forward with your back rounded, concave, and forward over the stomach? This is how countless individuals sit and also stand throughout their day. Slouching oftentimes can cause many harmful consequences on your body, including strained neck muscles, muscle spasms, and increased pressure on your spine — which can all lead to pain throughout the body.
So, why do we slouch? It is because when we have weak and tired muscles that no longer provide stability, the spine must rely on the passive structures of the musculoskeletal system for support. Without muscular support, the spine gradually loses its natural cervical and lumbar curves and can become more kyphotic (humped) or slouched.
A study says that the average person sits for eight hours a day. Whether you are forward slouching while you’re texting all day, binge-watching TV, working on the computer, driving, weeding the lawn, sweeping and mopping the kitchen, vacuuming, or a student sitting down reading in class all day, you need to counter it by sitting with good posture, finding time within your day to be upright, and then stretching.
This is where we come in to save the day. Here at Stretch Zone Longbow, we have the exact targeted stretches aimed to help open your chest and spine so you can have good posture in all your daily life activities. When we sit and stand with proper alignment it improves blood flow and circulation-related issues, helps keep your nerves and blood vessels healthy, and supports your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. People who make a habit of using correct posture are less likely to experience related back and neck pain.
One way to know if you’re in good posture is to stand up right back to a wall, pull your shoulders back to touch the wall, and stack your head over your shoulders, shoulders over your hips, and hips over your heels. At Stretch Zone Longbow we help you find good posture and symmetry throughout the body with our practitionerassisted stretching. Stretching will lead to a decreased chance of injury as well as promote a healthy range of motion so you may live a more comfortable life. Stretching will help you alleviate aches and pains, and it will help you recover faster when doing activities working your muscles, leaving you sore.
Sessions at Stretch Zone Longbow are 30 minutes with the option for a 60-minute stretch session. Prices range from $40 to $65 per half-hour session. Stretch Zone Longbow is located at 3204 N. Recker Road, Suite 104, Mesa. You can contact Stretch Zone Longbow at (480) 590-1133.