When it comes to hip replacement, patients who have had the surgery done want to ensure that their hips and back are strong and healthy. Good posture plays a major role in this. It also prevents back, neck and hip pain and helps to encourage the greatest amount of endurance. Few people have excellent posture without trying, but the good news is that there are a few tips and tricks to help you improve your posture.
Being Able to Identify Good Posture
When you are first working to improve your posture, it is a good idea to get a look at your posture and straighten it up and look at the difference. This can be done by standing next to a full-length mirror. Align your shoulders, ears and hips while looking in a mirror. The natural spinal curve should be maintained. If you experience discomfort, you are forcing it and should loosen up a little bit.
Train Your Muscles
It is harder to use good posture when your muscles are untrained and weak. You will need to focus on strengthening your shoulder and upper back muscles. When these muscles have good strength, they will naturally pull you into the proper alignment.
Sit Up Straight
You mom probably told you this dozens of times as a child and for good reason. You want to sit against the back of the chair, use a small pillow for lumbar support, keep your head upright, feet flat on the floor, head up and shoulders straight. This may seem really uncomfortable and if your muscles are not trained, it could be. However, you will experience more discomfort by not working to improve your posture, so it is important to work toward improving it.
When you sit a lot for work, it is important to use proper posture, but it is also to take a posture break. To do this, you should stand up for five or ten minutes every one to two hours. This gives the muscles helping to keep you aligned a break so that they can rest and be ready for a few more hours of sitting correctly. Just standing up, take a short stroll and/or stretching is plenty to accomplish this.
Sleep Posture
The wrong mattress and not sleeping correctly can result in waking up with back pain. First and foremost, you need a good, firm mattress and a pillow that properly supports your head and neck. Sleeping on your stomach should be stopped now as it throws off all aspects of proper posture. Sleeping on your back is the best way to maintain alignment, but not everyone is comfortable on their back. If you are sleeping on either of your sides, put a small pillow between your knees to keep your hips and spine in the proper alignment.
Following a hip replacement, patients should work toward good posture. However, it is ideal for all people even without a history of hip issues.
If you would like to request a consultation with one of the orthopedic specialists at the Orthopedic & Sports Institute (OSI), please call (920) 560-1000 or request an appointment online. Additionally, OSI now offers a Walk-In Clinic at its Appleton location for non-life threatening situations that require immediate attention.
The Orthopedic & Sports Institute has convenient locations to serve you. In addition to the flagship facility in Appleton, you will find outreach clinics in New London, Ripon, Shawano, Waupaca, and the newest location serving the Green Bay area, inside the NOVO Health Clinic in De Pere.
OSI is a proud member of NOVO Health.