Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
When the pandemic struck, those unaccustomed to working at home found themselves scrambling to put together makeshift workstations. Many spent the past year-plus using laptops on the couch, hunching over a tablet at the kitchen table or looking down at their phones while simultaneously trying to help their kids stay engaged in virtual school.
But now we’re feeling the effects of those bad work setups we thought we’d been getting away with. And even some seasoned work-from-homers aren’t doing things in a posture-friendly manner.
“People working from home may still not have their home office in an ergonomic fashion, and extended time on a laptop causes too much flexion of the spine and too much sitting ― both are detrimental for health maintenance,” said Amir Vokshoor, a spinal neurosurgeon and chief of spine at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
This can also lead to back pain, tech neck and poor posture, he added. But the good news is that these issues can often be reversed. Here are 12 products that can help improve them.
A foam roller to release muscle tension
Loosening up tight muscles can be key to ensuring that your shoulders stay back. This is where a foam roller to release muscle tension can come into play.
Heather Jeffcoat, owner of Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy in California, said this is her most referred posture-improving product. She recommends the LuxFit Foam Roller. It supports the entire length of your spine when performing a chest opener stretch, the first postural exercise she teaches her patients.
I recommend everyone get the 36-inch length and 6-inch diameter for their first foam roller”
If it’s too firm, the OPTP Pro-Roller Soft Density Foam Roller offers support with more give and is preferred by some of my patients.”
Says Heather.
To find out more about not only the best foam roller to release muscle tension, but many other great products for your home gym, continue reading the full article here.