What can good posture do for you?

• Good posture keeps your bones aligned so that your muscles and joints don’t ache. 
• It reduces wear and tear of your joints. 
• It reduces strain on ligaments of the spine. 
• It uses your muscles more efficiently so that you don’t get as tired. 
• It prevents back and muscle pain. 

What can stretching do for your posture? 

Stretching your tight muscles caused by poor posture can help to counteract the damage poor posture has caused. How does it work? Stretching your muscles helps to increase your range of motion in your joints, reducing the risk of muscle and joint injuries. So as you stretch your muscles, it will be easier to correct your posture and reverse the damage from poor posture. 

Child’s Pose

1. To begin, get on your hands and knees. 
2. Bend your knees to put your butt to the heels of your feet, and reach your hands forward. 
3. For the regular pose, let your hands rest on the ground. If you want a deeper stretch, let your hands rest on the top of the Chirp Wheel+. 
4. Let your body sink into the ground.
5. Hold this pose for 10 seconds or longer. 

Arm and upper back stretch

1. To begin, get on your hands and knees. 
2. Let your elbows rest on the top of the Chirp Wheel+. 
3. Let your body sink into the ground. Pull your chest toward the ground. 
4. Hold this pose for 10 seconds or longer. 

Roll out

How to use the Chirp Wheel+:

Sit and lean back.

1. Sit on the ground with knees bent and feet firmly planted. 
2. Place the Chirp Wheel+ against your back in alignment with your spine. Take some time to center yourself and find balance even on the ground.
3. Lean back gently to transfer your weight to the wheel. Relax and find balance in this position before lifting your hips.

Lift hips.

1. Rest your hands on the ground, the wheel, or your chest for balance. Do whichever feels the most comfortable for you.
2. Lift your hips upward while relaxing your back. Find balance with your hips lifted before rolling on the wheel. 
3. Don’t tense up! The more you relax your back, the better it will feel.

Roll back and forth.

1. Begin to roll back and forth on the wheel by bending and straightening your legs. Use your hands for balance. If one spot on your back needs an extra massage, stop rolling to put pressure on that spot. Or switch to a smaller wheel.
2. Roll out for 3 to 5 minutes. Length of preferred use will vary by individual.
3. Relax your head back to avoid neck pain.

Reclined Hero’s Pose

1. Kneel on the ground. Sit your butt down between your legs. 
2. Lean back against the Chirp Wheel, placing your hands behind your head. Rest your head and neck back on your hands to avoid neck pain. 
3. Relax in this position for 10 or more seconds. If sitting it that position is too hard on your knees, sit cross-legged or in the butterfly position. 

Two Foot Staff Pose

1. Place the wheel directly under your upper back. 
2. Bend your arms up and back to grab onto the wheel. 
3. Gently roll back until your elbows and head touch the ground.
4. Hold this position for 10 or more seconds. 

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2020). Back health and posture. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4485-back-health-and-posture 

Mason, T. (2020). Practice these 10 yoga poses to correct bad posture. Retrieved from https://www.yogiapproved.com/yoga/yoga-poses-bad-posture/

OR Today. (2015, March 1). Stretching: improves flexibility, posture & balance. Retrieved from https://ortoday.com/stretching-improves-flexibility-posture-balance/ 

Priest, G. W. (2018, January 1). 5 Yoga wheel moves that will help you quit hunching. Retrieved from https://www.getthegloss.com/article/5-yoga-wheel-moves-that-will-help-you-quit-hunching

Scriven, A. (2020). 6 yoga poses to correct rounded shoulders & relieve pain. Retrieved from https://www.doyou.com/6-yoga-poses-to-correct-rounded-shoulders-and-relieve-pain-53703/