The 5 Worst Things For Posture

Here is our list of the 5 worst things for posture

1. back brace for posture (aka back posture corrector, posture trainer, posture support brace)

2. neck posture corrector

3. Excessive stretching

4. Processed foods and grains

5. Cycling, Squats and Deadlifts

Back Brace For Posture

If you're looking for how to permanently fix posture, you need a root cause solution. Surface level solutions, like a back brace for bad posture, can only do so much. Unfortunately, to correct poor posture you need to correct the reason the posture is bad in the first place.

Many people are searching for the best posture corrector. We are about to uncover why a posture corrector for back pain or a back and posture brace just don't work.

Firstly, these posture correctors cost anywhere between $8-$60 online. Almost everybody is aware of their existence. Yet, the majority of people suffer from poor posture.

As with most things, if it were that easy, everyone would have good posture.

Contraptions such as shoulder posture braces and back support for bad posture do not work. These solutions are too passive. They may hold you in a better position, but they certainly don't strengthen your muscles.

Rather, they require you to use your muscles even less. This causes more weakness overtime. Instead, if you're searching for the best posture corrector Australia, take a look at our blog: The 5 Best Things For Posture.

Poor posture is a result of gait imbalances. These imbalances in your movement translate to muscle imbalances. These muscle imbalances then manifest as poor postural.

Neck Posture Corrector

Neck posture correctors have a similar story. People are consistently searching for; 'how to improve posture', and they are being presented with products.

You do not need a produce such as a neck posture corrector to correct your neck posture.

Neck posture imbalances come about for a number of reasons. And no, it is not caused by sitting too much.

We are talking about a pivotal aspect of biomechanics. We need to shift the focus from reducing sedentary behaviour, to enhancing movement quality.

Poor neck posture is not just a consequence of how much we sit but rather how we move throughout all activities. We are going to discuss how these movements influence muscle balance and posture.

The Root of the Problem: Dysfunctional Movement Patterns

Muscle imbalances and poor posture are often pre-existing conditions. These conditions are then made worse by how we sit, stand, and move. The root cause can be traced back to dysfunctional movement patterns that have developed over time due to:

• Repetitive Movements

• Neglected Muscle Groups

• Improper Training Techniques

Excessive Stretching

Although many people see yoga and stretching as a solution to poor posture, we find the opposite. We have helped hundreds of people at our facility to correct poor posture for the long-term.

One of the main reasons we are able to do so is because we improve the way people move.

Unlike the majority of physical therapists, we find that stretching causes neck and back pain and various posture problems.

Sitting posture and upright posture are both impacted by excessively stretched muscles.

Flaccid, hyper-mobile tissue results in poor movement patterns. The muscles lack coordination and elasticity. This makes it harder for someone to move correctly, and therefore stand correctly.

Yoga and stretching encourages hyper-mobility. It weakens the muscles ability to contract overtime. Therefore, it directly contributes to poor posture.

Processed foods and grains

Core tension is absolutely vital for correct posture. Bloating reduces core tension. Processed foods and grains cause bloating. Therefore, these food types directly contribute to poor posture.

In our clinic, one of the first things we do is remove these food types from a clients diet. We find it extremely difficult to correct someones biomechanics if they are still eating grains and processed foods.

This is because when we ask them to retract their core, the bloating in the abdomen prevents them. They therefore cannot protect their back or feel their ab muscles.

Plenty of research supports the fact that grains and processed food diminish core tension.

Cycling, Squats and Deadlifts

If you're researching how to fix bad posture, you're likely to find suggestions around exercises. Exercises like cycling, squats and deadlifts are sometimes at the top of the list for posture perfecting movements.

So, why have we included them in the 5 worst things you can do for posture?

Running a thriving posture correction clinic in Brisbane means we have ample first hand experience with posture. We see trends in our clinic, and the correlation between these 3 movements and poor posture is a strong one.

Let's quickly break down each of these movements and discuss why they are terrible for your posture.

Cycling And Posture

Cycling keeps you in a position of excessive hip flexion and primarily engages the leg muscles. This leads to an imbalance where the muscles along the back of the body are underused and passively stretched.

This position can exacerbate issues for those who spend significant time in sedentary desk jobs. It encourages the glutes and core muscles to remain inactive, while over-recruiting the hip flexors and gluteus medius muscles. Consequently, frequent cyclists might find themselves less resilient to the strains of prolonged sitting.

Squats And Posture

Squats can pose problems for individuals with pre-existing postural issues and asymmetries (most people). If one's core and spinal muscles are weak, adding weight on top of the spine and performing squats can exacerbate these imbalances, leading to a reinforcement of poor patterns and a high risk of injury. This exercise tends to strengthen the already dominant muscles further promoting imbalance rather than correcting it.

Deadlifts And Posture

Despite their popularity in strength training regimes, deadlifts are not universally beneficial for improving posture. The evidence linking deadlifts to positive postural outcomes is sparse.

Deadlifts can introduce significant shearing forces on the spine, particularly noticeable at the top of the lift when the weight is fully raised. This aspect of the movement can stress the lower back and exacerbate issues for those with existing spinal vulnerabilities.