May is actually National Correct Posture Month. Fitness Expert Nickie Carrigan shows us a fun self evaluation test we can do to help us become more aware of our posture and how it affects our ability to move and do what it is designed to do, pain free. 

Exercises:

A: Arm Circles: 

Stand with feet fist width apart. 

• Make a golfer grip with hands by placing the tips of the fingers onto the pad of the hand, stick up thumb.
• Squeeze shoulder blades together and bring arms out to sides at shoulder level. 
• With palms down, rotate the arms forward , then with the palms down rotate backward. 
•  40x forward, 40x backward.

B: Elbow Curls:

• With the same golfer grip, stand with feet fist width apart.
• Place knuckles against temples with thumbs pointing down. 
• Open & close elbows. 
• 25x 

C: Standing Overhead Extension 

• Stand with feet fist width apart. Interlace fingers together and reach arms forward, then up as far as it works for you while keeping arms straight. 
• 60 seconds

Come back to the eyes closed and get a feel for the weight distribution. Does it feel different? Do you feel more grounded? Is there less swaying? With the right stimulus, those exercises, we can bring a body back to a balanced and symmetrical position, we can reduce pain and limitations that we might be dealing with.