This week we have another guest blogger, holistic health and fitness specialist Elly McGuinness. Elly has been in the industry for over 15 years and has a wealth of information – her main focus is helping people to make positive sustainable changes to their health, fitness, and lifestyle. You can check out more of her articles here.
I’ve been using this simple effective method to help improve my posture after noticing a few aches and pains from sitting at my desk for too long. Here’s what Elly has to say;

Tight chest and shoulder muscles, forward neck poke and a rounded posture can be a common site in the office.  You’ve got your head down, and you’re engrossed in your work and gradually you become more and more slouched throughout the day.
Many of us are sensitive to these poor postures and can suffer with back aches and headaches as a result.  There are a lot of things to consider so that you can make improvements to your posture and in turn reduce any pain you experience.  Among these is work station set up, therapeutic stretches and regular breaks from your desk.
One simple tip that can help open out your chest and create an ideal posture is to place your PALMS UP.  This is very simple and can be effective if practiced regularly in conjunction with some of the other suggestions mentioned below.
All you need to do is turn your palms up.  This will help prevent rounded shoulders without you actually trying to force your shoulders back.
Here are a few ways you can incorporate ‘palms up’ into your life:

  • If your hands are on a keyboard, you can keep your forearms on your desk, but just turn your palms so they are facing upwards. Maybe you can close your eyes for a minute while you do this, as a bit of a ‘mental time out’
  • Whilst standing or walking, turn your palms to face forwards instead of behind you or into your sides. You should feel your chest muscles opening up
  • Sit down and take a hands free phone call with your palms up, or do the same if you are sitting down listening to someone talk
  • Lie on your bed with your arms beside you or outstretched, turn your palms up and relax