Stop the Desk Slump- How Pilates Can Help

From Desk to Mat: How Pilates Can Heal Your Postural Woes

Thirteen.

That’s the average number of hours Americans sit each day. Many of those hours are spent at a desk, in front of a computer, practicing bad posture. Since this is everyday life, it’s easy to overlook the damage that something seemingly as trivial as the way we sit at a desk might cause, but the truth of the matter is this single practice might be causing more health issues than you realize.

Desk jobs can cause kyphotic spine, or forward movement of the head, forcing your back and neck to work considerably harder to keep your body upright. This movement increases the probability of injury, creating the potential for disc injuries and pinched nerves. Have you ever wondered how someone could throw their back out or pull a muscle doing something as simple as reaching for their purse or keys? Well, this is how.

Consequences of Poor Posture

·      Poor posture does more than make you look sloppy in candid photos. If you feel like you’re consistently low on energy, or your breathing isn’t quite right, your posture might be to blame.

·      When our positioning is consistently off, we might be exacerbating health issues, such as digestive problems, poor circulation, headaches, and chronic fatigue.

·      If we don’t protect our spine and muscles, they can’t work correctly. Throwing these structures out of wack can cause them to arbitrarily collapse.

What You Can Do About It

·      If your spine suffers from the desk job blues, Pilates can help you sing a different tune. Its balancing movements and focus on the core strengthen the muscles that support the spine, helping you regain that beautiful curvature your backbone so craves.

·      Additionally, Pilates improves strength and mobility, enabling you to hold seated and standing positions for longer periods of time without breaking down your posture.

·      Your flexibility will improve, along with your body awareness. You’ll more easily notice when you’re not sitting pretty at your desk, and you’ll be more mindful to fix it.

·      You’ll likely suffer from few to no injuries, aches, and pains.

Many times, people don’t know they feel bad until they start feeling better. A regular Pilates practice has the potential to help correct and proactively combat any damage that regular, long days at the office have the power to inflict on your spine. Getting your posture in check with Pilates could eliminate the need for medicinal treatments for your ailments, by getting to the root of the problem. If long hours at the office are breaking you down, Pilates could be the answer to help get you back in line.