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If you spend a lot of time sitting on your computer or phone, odds are you’ve worried about the effect on your posture.
You’re right to be concerned: It turns out that poor posture can have health consequences that are more far-reaching than many realize.
“Often times when we think about posture we are focused on the way it makes us look… [b]ut our posture has serious implications on both our physical and mental health,” Liza Egbogah, a trained chiropractor, osteopath and myofascial release expert, told HuffPost by email. Egbogah is the clinic director of The Fix, a myofascial release and osteopathy clinic in Toronto.
According to Egbogah, poor posture can not only result in headaches and pain in the neck, shoulders and back, but it can also lead to constipation, bloating and irritable bowel syndrome as a result of increased pressure on the digestive system.
Bad posture can even impact your stress levels. “Spending time in poor posture also causes your cortisol (stress hormone) levels to rise,” Egbogah said, “meaning you may be feeling more depressed or anxious when you’re slouched over. However when maintaining good posture ― where you’re standing tall with your shoulders back ― your body produces more endorphins which are the natural feel good chemicals in our body.”
While spending excessive time sitting on our devices are common causes of posture problems, it’s not so easy to curb these habits given the demands of modern work and societal reliance on technology. Still, even small changes can make a difference, including investing in certain posture-supporting products.
Egbogah filled HuffPost in on her posture-correcting recommendations. Read on for her picks, plus some from physical therapist Chris DeRosa.
HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change. The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
Posture-supporting apparel, like shirts
“If you’ve spent a lot of time with bad posture[,] it can be hard to have a good sense of what correct posture feels like. Posture supporting apparel like posture sports bras and tees help to reinforce good posture and prevent bad posture,” explained Liza Egbogah, a chiropractor, osteopath and myofascial release specialist. “As you wear posture friendly apparel your muscles and fascia will adapt to support you correctly.”
Egbogah recommended these posture shirts from AlignMed, available in men’s and women’s sizing. They’re designed to work as a wearable therapy that activates and retrains muscles as you wear them.
“I didn’t really want to pay this much, but it’s worth every penny,” wrote one Amazon reviewer. “This shirt makes me feel good. I have chronic muscle tightness in my back and find this to be a major pain reliever. Who knew my posture was the problem? I ordered just a bit smaller than I expected based on the guidelines that suggested the snugger the better. The tightness is the reason it works so well on my sore back. Don’t order too large.”
If you’re between sizes, AlignMed recommends sizing down.
Amazon
An under-the-chest brace for improving upper-body posture
Based off Egbogah’s recommendation of posture-supporting apparel, we chose this highly-rated upper body-posture brace designed to help open up shoulders. Worn under the chest, it’s designed to be used for an hour or two a day — which you can work up to — in order to improve posture, lessen neck pain and negate a hunched stance.
Designed for men and women, the tool comes in multiple sizes and colors.
Clip the coupon for an added discount at checkout.
Amazon
A posture support harness for midday use
“[O]ur bodies were not designed to sit or be on a device for hours in a day, so I recommend a supportive posture harness that can be used midday when your supportive muscles have likely fatigued,” Egbogah told HuffPost. “This [posture correcting brace] will help support good posture while still engaging your supportive muscles for most of the day.”
It’s available in sizes XS – XL and in two versions.
Amazon
Or a full-back support posture-correcting brace
Based on Egbogah’s recommendation of a posture support harness, we selected this popular full-back posture brace.
This option is designed to support the full spine using a waist belt, shoulder straps and back brace, thus helping straighten your back, shoulders and lumbar area. One reviewer wrotes that the tool “gently pulls my shoulders back without being too tight … the pain I used to feel at the end of the day is almost gone.”
You can start by wearing it five to ten minutes a day, and work towards wearing it for an hour or two a day. The brace comes in three sizes.
Amazon
A neck phone holder to encourage looking up, not down, at your phone
“One of the biggest contributors to poor posture is looking downwards to our phone,” wrote Egbogah. “We spend so much time on phones and laptops and when we do, we’re often looking down. This puts a lot of strain on the neck and pushes our head forward into anterior head carriage (when the head moves forward out of alignment).
“A neck phone holder allows you to look straight ahead thereby preventing slouching and forward head posture,” she explained.
Based on Egbogah’s recommendation, we chose this gooseneck cell phone holder that sits around the neck; it’s extra lightweight with flexible arms that can also stand upright on horizontal surfaces. “You’ll think this product is ridiculous but once you have it, it’ll save your life,” wrote one Amazon reviewer.
Amazon
Or a gooseneck phone holder you can clip to your bedside or desk
Clip this bestselling hands-free phone holder to the edge of your desk, and thanks to its bendy gooseneck, you’ll be able to text and video call at at eye level, sans hand fatigue. But the real joy of this gooseneck holder is its potential to reduce the neck and back strain that comes from slouching over our phones.
Based on Egbogah’s advice that looking straight ahead at your phone can help prevent slouching, forward head posture and resulting pain, we think this phone holder is an excellent choice. Reviewers call it a “neck saver” (and a “third hand“).
Just clip it to your table, chair or headboard to get started.
Amazon
Some travel-friendly resistance bands
“These are great portable workout tools that you can use to strengthen your stabilizers that reinforce good posture,” Egbogah said. This five-pack of latex exercise bands covers five different resistant levels that you can customize for your specific needs.
Amazon
Or resistance bands with handles
This five-pack of exercise bands is another solid choice, according to California-based physical therapist Chris DeRosa, who specifically recommended the set for older folks because of its convenient handles.
“Routines with the bands can be used to build upper body strength and lower body strength,” DeRosa previously told HuffPost. “They are cost effective and come in varied resistance so people can use lighter or stronger bands if they feel the exercises [are] too easy or too hard.”
Clip the coupon for an added discount at checkout.
Amazon
A handheld massager to relax tense muscles
Egbogah also recommended this bestselling handheld massager to help loosen muscles that are overly tight from too much sitting.
“When we sit[,] our hips are flexed,” Egobah explained. As a result, the hip flexor muscles “tug on the spine and pull the body into a slouched posture,” she wrote. “By releasing muscles that tighten up and force you into poor posture[,] you can actually improve your posture.”
This handheld massage gun sports seven speed levels and ten interchangeable massage heads to target muscles from head to toe; its fork head is specifically designed to massage the upper back and spine, while its shovel head works on the lower back. At 40-50 decibels, it’s quiet, and is long-lasting to boot, possessing a run time of up to six hours before requiring a recharge. One reviewer on Amazon called it “a personal masseuse that fits in your hand.”
Clip the coupon for an added discount at checkout.
Amazon
A splurgier handheld massage gun
If you’re willing to spend a little more money for an especially effective massager. DeRosa previously recommended the Hypervolt percussion massager to ease pain and tightness for issues like sciatica. From the popular brand HyperIce, the device is designed to loosen knots and soothe stiffness using its three speeds and two interchangeable heads.
Available in two colors, it’s lightweight enough for you to carry with you and, according to reviewers, impressively quiet given its 40-watt motor.
Amazon
A lower back brace with 40,000 5-star ratings
DeRosa also previously recommended this popular belted back brace, designed to soothe lower back pain through firm yet comfortable support.
Made with breathable, flexible mesh, the brace is meant to stabilize your back while still allowing for natural movement. You can also make use of its removable lumbar pad for days when you need additional support.
Another plus, according to reviewers, is that the brace is subtle enough to wear under clothes if you prefer, lacking the bulkiness characteristic of other models.
It’s available in three colors and in sizes XS-XXL.
Clip the coupon for an additional discount at checkout.
Amazon
A hidden-gem nylon strap tool for gentle stretching
In previous coverage, DeRosa also suggested this six-foot Stretch Out Strap for gently stretching the legs and upper and lower body after self-massaging. What sets this apart from other stretching gizmos are its 10 built-in loops, which allow greater control; you can also use the loops as comfy yet grippy holds for your feet and hands.
It comes with a stretching exercise booklet and access to its video stretching guide.
Amazon
Self-massaging, including with a vibration therapy massage ball
DeRosa also previously recommended the Hyperice vibrating massage ball for gently massaging muscles.
Small enough to fit in your palm, the massage ball offers three vibration speeds and helps soothe muscle stiffness and soreness.
Note: Clip the coupon for an additional discount at checkout.
Amazon
Or self-massage using specialized rubber massage balls
In addition, DeRosa suggested this trio of massage balls in previous HuffPost coverage.
The set is designed to target muscle pain across the body and includes a spiky massage ball, a textured foam option and a smooth version.
Clip the coupon for an added discount at checkout.