Reduce Pain and Move Better: 3 Simple Tips

Aches, pains, stiffness: most of these problems are caused not by injuries, but by our basic habits of living. Even problems built up from old injuries can start to ease with three simple, easy-to-add lifestyle changes: standing and moving in better posture, increasing joint range of motion, and increasing muscular flexibility.

Stand and move in better posture

The first two years of our lives, we are pushing, pulling, squatting, bending, twisting, and walking our way to good posture. After that, we spend our lives doing things that undo it: we sit to drive, we sit to work, we repeat the same motions over and over, we slouch, we work out and don’t stretch. This leads to rounded shoulders, hips out of place, a forward chin, relaxed abs, a compacted lower spine, and an improper walking gait. Over time, these daily imperfections can cause sore muscles, spinal curving, nerve and vein constriction, and knee, ankle, or hip pain.

A few simple posture cues: keep your feet hip-width apart and pointed straight, keep a slight bend in the knee, roll your thumbs out to the side with your arms at your sides (feel the back of your shoulders pull tight), pull the crown of your head up as tall as possible, pull your chin back, and tilt your hips forward until your abs feel “on.”

Increase your range of motion (5 minutes)

Poor range of motion can lead to poor posture and the problems that come with it, including tight muscles, increased risk of injury, limited use of joints, and pain. We recommend five minutes or so of easy mobility drills each morning to realign your posture and open up circulation.

Increase muscular flexibility (15 minutes per day)

Flexibility isn’t just for gymnastics. Every athlete, and anyone who never participates in organized activity at all, needs it. Tight muscles make it harder to maintain proper posture, which leads back to the same problems above. We recommend fifteen minutes of stretching before bed, plus stretching after a workout or any long bout of sitting.

Conclusion

Try this for one day. Even the first day can have you feeling better: a better mood, less pain, and a higher quality of life. Twenty minutes a day is a small trade for how much better you can move and feel.