7 home exercises that improve neck and back posture

The best way to protect your neck against dowager's hump or poor posture, is to make a habit of sitting up straight throughout the day. However, creating doing exercises that target the shoulders and back is important. As your back and shoulders strengthen, your neck will be restored to the upright position.

Here are seven exercises you can choose from to get started.

1. Shoulder blade squeezes

The move is a good reminder to observe good posture through the day but also helps in strengthening the upper back.

Stand or sit in good posture
Pay attention to your shoulders and jaws to make sure they are relaxed
Slowly push your chest outwards as your shoulder blades draw back in an attempt to squeeze them together.
When you reach as far back as possible, hold the position for 4 to 5 seconds and release. Repeat this movement 10 times.
Do this exercise frequently each day especially if your job requires you to sit at a desk.

2. Wall angels

This one builds strength and restores muscle memory in the upper back muscles that become weak from constant bad posture. With time, you posture adapts to the strengthening and mobility making it easier to maintain good posture.

Stand against a wall with your back against it
Adjust your body until your head, back and heels are pressed against the wall
Bend your arms at the elbows in a 90 degrees angle and press your fore arms against the wall with your palms facing forward.
Slowly push them upwards while maintaining your shoulders in a relaxed state.
Move them up and down at that angle without stretching them up or dropping them down.
Do this in two sets of 10 reps daily.

3. Postural correction

Sit in front of a mirror, or stand if you don't have a wall length mirror
Observe your posture to see if you are slumping forward
Inhale deeply
Push the top of your head towards the ceiling
Relax your shoulder blades backwards and downwards
Do this five times a day

4. Serratus anterior push-up

This is the muscle that starts from the first and eighth ribs and goes backwards up to the shoulder blades. It is a stablising muscle for the shoulder so strengthening it will pull the shoulder blades backwards thus removing pressure from the back of the neck.

Get on your hands in a push-up position without bending your elbows
Gently start a rolling motion by sliding your shoulder blades towards each other and then away from each other.
As you rotate your shoulder blades, feel the muscles between them operate.
Maintain your neck at a neutral position.

5. Cat-Cow

This yoga stretch boosts mobility in the lower back. It makes maintaining a neutral posture easier and allows the spine more flexibility.

To get in this position, get on all-fours, put your wrists under your shoulders and fold you legs so that your hips are on top of your knees.
Take a deep breath and push your stomach down as your look towards the ceiling.
Release the breath and drop your back down and bring your head down
Do this 10 times in one or two sets a day.

6. Chin tucks

This pays more attention to the small muscles in the neck and enhancing alignment.

Sit in an upright position
Let your shoulders and jaw relax
Move your head forward (imagine you have a book on top of your head that you don't want to drop) then draw your neck back straight pushing against the back of the neck.
You might feel pressure behind your ears.
Hold the inward tuck for 4 to 5 seconds and repeat the motion 10 times.
They are effective if done 3 to 5 times a day.

7. Mid fly back exercise

This focuses on the back, strengthening and stretching the muscles there to offer more support for the neck.

Sit in a chair and let your feet touch the floor with your back touching the chair
Put an exercise band around both hands then hold your arms out in front of you
Make sure your shoulders are relaxed, then start to pull your arms outward against the exercise band.
Push your shoulder blades inward and squeeze them
Gently and slowly return your arms to the middle in front of you
Do this 12 to 16 times.