Why your posture matters when using your iPhone or Mac

There is a good chance that you are reading this on your iPhone or Mac while having a bad attitude. Find out why this is a problem and what you can do about it.

Good posture is important

In a relatively short period of time we have started working more and more with screens, while our bodies are actually not made for that. Whether we look at our smartphone, or sit behind a laptop or desktop computer: our entire body is focused on that screen. Our heads are a bit more forward, our backs are more arched, and if you read this, your shoulders are probably much higher than where they should be.

Take a moment to study your current attitude. How about the line of your spine? Is your head above your shoulders or is it hanging forward? Do you feel you are holding onto certain muscles? Are you holding tension in your jaw or shoulders?

Especially now that we all work from home due to the corona crisis, it feels almost impossible to constantly have a good attitude. Not least, because we don’t have the perfect working conditions with a good desk and a screen that is at the right eye level.

Bad attitude kills you

That’s a problem, because that wrong posture has a big effect on your body. Take as an example the posture of your neck, possibly the biggest problem of our many smartphone use. Our head is very heavy, but if it rests directly above your spine, it doesn’t bother you so much.

Because we constantly bend our heads forward to look at a screen, more and more force is put on the muscles in your neck. Muscles that are not made for this are subject to extra stress, while other muscles relax. This not only causes a stiff neck, but often also a headache. It can also cause pain in the surrounding muscles, poor breathing or tingling in your hands.

We don’t need to tell you that bad posture at a computer can cause a lot of problems with your back. Especially when your laptop is on the table. If you keep ignoring those aches and pains, they will only get worse.

A lifetime of bad attitudes

I know from my own experience what a big effect a bad posture can have. As a child I sat in the most bizarre positions at my computer. That only got worse with the introduction of phones and later smartphones. Years ago I didn’t have a good attitude even walking outside, because I had to play Pokémon GO, for example.

Only now am I aware of how bad that was for my body and what problems it is causing now. Now that I’m working on my posture, I also notice how difficult it is to correct bad postures for a lifetime. It requires constant awareness. But we only get one body and that should last for a while. So it is high time to take care of that.

Tips for good posture

Below you will find some general tips that you can use immediately to work on your posture. Think of this as a basis. If you have physical problems or if you want personal advice, we recommend that you seek professional help. For example, find a physiotherapist who specializes in good posture.

• Alternate: It is important not to sit in the same position all day long. Therefore alternate between sitting and standing if possible. If that doesn’t work, at least make sure that you take regular breaks in which you stand and preferably even get moving. If you can also do some stretching exercises with that, it is completely fantastic.

• Bring your smartphone to your head: It happens far too often that we move our head to our smartphone, instead of the other way around. Then we look down, resulting in a bad attitude. Therefore, bring your smartphone to your head more often than your head to your smartphone.

• Raise your crown: With good posture, your ears, shoulders and hips are aligned. A simple trick to remember to do that is to visualize a string on your crown being pulled up. Pull your chin in slightly. This attitude may feel unnatural, but it’s probably because you’ve been doing it wrong for a long time.

Technology help

Do you find it difficult to maintain your posture? Logical, but luckily tech has also been devised for this. There are several shirts for sale on the market that pull your shoulders back so that you automatically sit or stand up. However, such a shirt does not help you to strengthen your muscles that are necessary for good posture.

There are gadgets for that. For example the Upright Go 2, an ‘posture trainer’ that you can buy in the Apple Store. For 100 euros you get a small device that you stick between your shoulder blades. With a vibration, this device indicates that you do not have a good posture. The accompanying app provides an individual training plan. Such a device can actually help to strengthen your muscles.

Active with your attitude

Of course you can also work more actively with your posture and your muscles. For example with yoga. We have listed the best yoga apps on iOS for you. Or work on your body with these fitness apps.