Times have changed. It is very easy and seductive to spend much of our day slumped over our iPads, phones, home computers. You can do all your shopping at the touch of a button, you can contact friends and family , book a holiday and visit your bank all in one morning of sitting on your device. It sounds like a very convenient way to live but it does come at a cost.

It was not all that long ago that we were much more active. Transportation was not used as much as it is today and work was not focused on staying at the desk. Overall the world's population is more sedentary than it ever has been and it might come as no surprise to discover that countries with a higher income are less likely to move. Jobs used to be much more physical than they are today. Along with physical work came a work force with stronger bodies. More than ever before, we suffer with back pain and neck pain as a result of our daily activities. According to the World Health Authority , our physical activity levels worldwide have not increased since 2001. Worldwide 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men are not sufficiently active enough.

Sitting poorly day after day can cause us to become stiff. As we age our bones can become more pliable and we can become more susceptible to bone thinning initially known as osteopenia and then osteoporosis. This can affect the curves in our back and we can find that we may start to loose a little bit of height. Our discs in-between the bones in the spine become less squishy and can thin down .

Poor posture can affect us in the following ways :

• We become stiff

• The muscles particularly at the back of our body become weak due to disuse

• We struggle to expand our chest to take a deep breath

• We may become more at risk of falling

• It can lead to aches and pains particularly spinal pain and headaches

You can have a positive impact on your posture at any age. All you need to do is to start making a concerted effort to address bad habits. There is PLENTY that you can do :

• Increase your daily exercise and aim to achieve 30 mins of physical activity at least 5 times per week

• Take deep breaths regularly and during exercise to expand the chest

• Strength training particularly for the posterior chain (the muscles at the back of the body)

• Take stock of your chair and sleeping position , is your spine in a neutral position when you are still ?

If you would like to see what a neutral sleeping position look like then simply press the button below to give you some good ideas

If you are part of a team or and individual with an exercise story to share to help inspire our readers then we would love to hear from you. Please reply to this newsletter and if you have a picture , even better. You might find yourself celebrated in an upcoming edition.

Tuesday's exercises focus on strength in the legs especially the largest muscle groups

For healthy posture you can choose many types of exercise. It is a good idea to choose activities that can work the front and back of the body. Swimming is a good example or dancing , pilates and yoga fits the bill too. The aim of your exercise programme is to start to introduce movements that you might not often do, or in a range of movement that is outside of your normal daily routine. One lady who does not have an issue with posture is currently the oldest female gymnast as voted by the Guiness World Records at age 97 she is still going strong. If you would like to see her in action then look no further :

Are you active and would like to feature here? We would love to hear from you! Get in touch, preferably with a picture so we can celebrate and promote you living your best life. Just reply to this newsletter