It’s always a shock when I see photos of me with my horrible posture on full display—my shoulders fully rounded over, my stomach somehow pushed forward while my hips are pushed back—and I’ll wonder why anyone has ever voluntarily spoken to me in public. You might think slouching is in our DNA—Neanderthals are often pictured hunching over—but a 2019 study proved otherwise. We’re the only ones to blame.
We’re slouching in front of our desks for at least 40 hours a week and then craning our necks while on our phones the rest of the time, and it’s affecting our back health. Bad posture doesn’t just cause temporary pain and stiffness, it can cause a permanent hunch.
I decided to fix my posture once and for all, testing braces, shirts, a yoga strap, and more to figure out what works. Here are our favorites. No matter which option you go with, none of them will fix your posture overnight. Start using them 10 to 20 minutes a day, and add time as you go on (and listen to the product’s directions). If you have severe back pain, talk to your primary care provider before buying anything.
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