Fix These Top 3 Posture Habits to Help Relieve with Your Nagging Back Pain!
We all have habits—healthy eating habits, spending habits, reading habits, and the list goes on. But one habit that often gets overlooked is posture habits. That’s right, posture is also a habit.
When clients visit my office, they usually fall into two categories: those in pain and those coming in for general maintenance. The ones in pain tend to be more receptive to my advice about posture. If you’re reading this, I want to enlighten and inspire you to take action before back pain forces you to!
In this blog, we’ll first go over the concept of healthy spine curvatures and how weight is distributed in the spine. Then, we’ll dive into the top three posture habits that often lead to back pain—and what you can do to fix them.
If you can fix even one of these habits, you’re already ahead of 80% of people who aren’t taking care of their spine. So grab a coffee and read on!
Understanding Healthy Spine Curvatures
Your spine isn’t just a straight column—it has natural curves that help distribute weight and absorb shock. There are four spinal regions:
- Cervical region (neck)
- Thoracic region (mid-back)
- Lumbar region (lower back)
- Sacral/Coccyx region (hip/buttock area)
The spine has two types of curvatures:
- Lordosis (inward curve) – Found in the cervical and lumbar regions
- Kyphosis (outward curve) – Found in the thoracic and sacral regions
Imagine your spine as a tower—when its curves are balanced, it supports weight evenly. But if one region is excessively curved, it places extra stress on the muscles and joints, leading to pain and stiffness.
As a chiropractor, I evaluate spinal curvature imbalances because they often lead to muscle spasms and joint pain. Now, let’s look at the top three habits that commonly disrupt these natural curves.
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Top 3 Bad Posture Habits You Should Avoid
1. Slouching (Anterior Shoulder Roll)
Slouching—aka rounding your shoulders forward—puts excessive stress on your thoracic spine. When this happens, your mid-back muscles (thoracic paraspinals) become overstressed, leading to sharp, jabbing pain.
How to Fix It:
✔ Shoulder Retractions – Strengthens upper back muscles and restores posture
✔ Shoulder Repositioning – Helps maintain a neutral spine
📺 Check out my YouTube channel for exercise demonstrations.
2. Lounging on the Sofa (“Shrimping”)
If you’ve ever sunk into your couch like a shrimp, you’re not alone! But this position reverses the natural lumbar curve, placing immense stress on the lower back.
How to Fix It:
✔ Bird Dog Exercise – Strengthens glutes and stabilizes the lumbar spine
✔ Cat-Cow Stretch – Relieves spinal tension and improves flexibility
3. Sitting Cross-Legged
Crossing your legs creates a pelvic imbalance—like a teeter-totter, one side of your pelvis gets tilted higher than the other. Over time, this strains hip ligaments and muscles, leading to hip tightness and pain.
How to Fix It:
✔ Keep both feet flat on the floor when sitting
✔ Stretch your hip flexors regularly
✔ Try glute-activation exercises to improve balance
How to Fix These Posture Habits
✅ Strengthening & Stretching:
Perform exercises like Bird Dog, Cat-Cow, Shoulder Retractions, and Shoulder Repositioning for 2-3 sets of 12 reps each.
✅ Set a Timer for Movement:
Get up and stretch every 30 minutes to avoid prolonged stress on your spine.
✅ Consult a Registered Healthcare Professional:
If you’re struggling with posture-related pain, seek help from a chiropractor, physiotherapist, massage therapist, or doctor.
Final Thoughts
Now that you understand the importance of spinal posture, make a conscious effort to avoid these bad habits. Sitting cross-legged once in a while won’t hurt, but repeating these postures daily can lead to chronic pain.
If you found this helpful, check out my YouTube channel – Dr. Leo Chou, where I share more tips on back pain and posture! Have questions? Leave a comment on Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube, and I might cover your question in my next blog post.
🔗 Book an Appointment with Me at Precision Performance & Wellness
Affiliate Disclaimer
Some links in this content may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through them. This helps support my work in providing high-quality content on posture education and back pain relief. I only recommend products that I truly believe in and that align with my mission to help you move and feel better. Thank you for your support!
