COVID Posture

COVID Posture and how to get rid of it.

Caroline Freedman writes about “COVID posture” – one of the less talked about effects of the pandemic. Caroline is a Personal Trainer and TRX Sports Medicine Suspension Training exercise professional. You can read our review of her authoritative book, the Scoliosis Handbook of Safe and Effective Exercises Pre and Post Surgery, here.

Bad habits leading to postural deformity

The COVID crisis has upset all areas of our lives, but one of the least talked about impacts has been the effect of the pandemic on the nation’s posture. Dowager’s Hump commonly presents as a curved upper spine where the thoracic vertebrae meets the cervical neck vertebrae and the head is dropped forward, often with a fatty layer covering the area. This posture has long been associated with elderly women and the onset of osteoporosis; but now, children, teenagers and fit young adults slumped over their work-at-home laptops are all presenting with this postural deformity. This is ‘COVID posture.’

Over the past two years, more and more of us have spent hours hunched over computers, tablets and mobile phones. And, if we’re not crooking our necks over our desks, we’re in bed, propped up by pillows, balancing the offending device on our knees and craning our heads forwards. Our lazy COVID working habits encourage vertebrae at the top of the back and base of the neck to move forward, leading to what I like to call ‘forward head’.

Add to these sedentary hours a lack of exercise and our muscles begin to weaken. It’s no surprise that so many people are coming to me complaining that their heads feel too heavy for their bodies and that holding their heads high is no longer comfortable. ‘Forward head’ can make it feel as though your head is as much as 10lbs heavier (roughly the weight of a 3-month-old baby).

Not only is COVID posture painful, but it is also unsightly. The lack of muscle tone in the upper back and neck can often lead to fat collecting there. This gives the illusion of a curved upper spine, or kyphosis, even when there is no actual curvature. In other words, it gives the sufferer a seeming humped-back.

So, can anything be done? The answer, fortunately, is yes. With exercise ‘COVID posture’ can improve, and the build-up of fat around these upper spinal muscles can be reduced or disappear altogether. All we need to do is re-think how we sit or stand and target specific muscle groups with gentle exercise.

The best place to start is with awareness. Have a look at your posture in a full-length mirror. Look at your body in profile. Be ruthless. Be cruel. Is your head forward? Are your shoulders up to your ears? If so, it’s time to act.

Over the past years, I have helped numerous clients to improve how they sit and stand. While correcting ‘COVID posture’ is not an overnight fix, by following my exercises and altering your day-to-day posture you will see some improvement almost instantly. Toning neck muscles and reducing fat build up can take up to six months, but it really is worth it.
 
How to improve ‘COVID Posture’
 

POSTURE STARTING POSITION

Suck in your abdominal muscles. You should feel that your pelvis is slightly tilted forward. Do not arch your lower back. Shoulders should be down, head level and chin tucked in. When standing and exercising, always make sure your knees are slightly bent as this will take the pressure off your lower spine. Never hyperextend (over-straighten) your elbows or knees.
 

ALIGNMENT

Always be aware of how your body is aligned. Head, neck, shoulders, spine, hips, knees, ankles and toes should follow each other. You can easily check this in a mirror or simply by looking down. Be sure that your knees and toes are not pulling inwards. Your knees should be front facing or slightly outwards and your toes positioned between 11 and 1 or 10 and 2.
 

LAT PULLDOWN MACHINE

Once you know you are safe to exercise, the Lat Pulldown Machine is a great place to begin.

Before you start, adjust the height of the seat. You should be able to sit down with your knees under the rests. If you are using a Swiss ball, it should be firm. Your feet should be one and a half hip-width apart and your knees should follow the alignment of your toes, but not hang over them.

If this position differs greatly from your day-to-day sitting position, consider rethinking how you sit so that you avoid putting pressure on your knees.
 

BASIC REPS

The trainer or physio will pull the bar or handles down. If training alone, reach for the bar/handles with arms one and half shoulder-distance apart using an overhand grip.

• Make sure you are sitting correctly (as outlined above).
• Suck your abdominal muscles in.
• Sit upright leaning approximately 2cm back (hardly any angle at all).
• Pull the bar/handles down to your upper chest and then release it gently so that your elbows do not bounce or hyperextend.
• Start with five repetitions with no additional weight, just the bar/handles.
 

NOW TRY…

…holding the bar/handles from underneath with a narrow gap, shoulder width apart, between your elbows. Double check that your hips, knees and toes are aligned, with your toes slightly turned out (11 and 1). Your knees should not be over your toes and the angle between your thighs and your calves should not exceed 90 degrees to avoid knee-strain.

• Suck your abdominal muscles in.
• Sit upright leaning a little further back (approximately 4 cm). Looking upwards, pull the bar/handles down to your upper chest and then release gently so that your elbows do not bounce or hyperextend.
• Start with five repetitions with no additional weight, just the bar/handles. If it is the first time you are training, take your time, adding just one or two extra repetitions each time you train.
• Once you can do three sets of twenty repetitions, try adding the 5kg weight to the machine.
 

UPRIGHT ROW

I am a huge fan of the Upright Row because it really does work. In my opinion, it’s essential. A weak trapezius muscle is often the root cause of ‘forward head,’ and this exercise gives that muscle a real workout. Toning the trapezius can make a huge difference to your posture, and over time it can also reduce the fat at the base of the neck which gives the appearance of spinal curvature. Clients often tell me how it has revolutionized their posture and reduced both neck pain and headaches.

• Stand with your legs hip-width apart.
• Your knees should be soft and slightly bent and your shoulders relaxed.
• Hold the bar at thigh level in a relaxed manner with your hands thumb-width apart. Leading with your elbows, slowly raise the bar. Your hands should brush your body until they are at upper chest level and your elbows are elevated above your shoulders, making the shape of a V (see image).
• Do not be tempted to raise your shoulders; keep them down.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Over time, you can introduce a weighted bar or free weights, starting with 0.5kg, to a maximum of 6kg.
• Start with six repetitions and build up to fifteen, increasing up to three sets.
• If you feel neck and shoulder strain after this exercise, reduce the number of repetitions and/or weight next time you train.

 

SEATED OBLIQUE STRETCH (a John Rutherford exercise)

This movement offers an excellent release.

• Sit on a chair, bench or Swiss ball (see pages 48 and 101 of The Scoliosis Handbook for guidance) with your knees at a 90 degree angle.
• Cross your arms above your head with your hands on opposite shoulders.
• Really try to sit up as tall as you can.
• Move gently from one side to the other, lifting your hips off the chair alternately.

 

STANDING NECK PUSH AGAINST WALL (a John Rutherford exercise)

This movement could be considered an exercise or a stretch, depending on how slowly it is done. I recommend going for super slow. It works the neck muscles and helps with strengthening the neck and improving posture.

• Stand with your back to the wall and your knees slightly bent.
• Gently push your head back using your neck muscles to try to touch the wall at eye level. This should be a very small movement
• Make sure your chin is tucked slightly in.
• Hold for a few seconds, then relax.
• Repeat the pushes six times and build to 10 repetitions x 3 sets.

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Further reading and resources

We have an interesting article here, Myths around Posture

Backache is very widespread – How to care for your back post pandemic

65 for 65 – managing Long Covid

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