The Weird Way Your Shoes Are Making Your Breasts Sag
Your posture could be damaging your bosom. (Photo: Getty Images)
Yes, we’ve all been told to “sit up straight"—or suffer the consequences of poor posture. But that’s just not a particularly scary warning. So let us explain it in a way that’s a little more specific: a bent spine might mean saggy breasts.
Did that get your attention?
Here’s how it works: When you slouch forward all the time—like you probably do while working on your computer or driving your car—your chest muscles actually stiffen, which pulls your shoulders forward into a permanent slump. The result: a look that’s unbecoming to your bosom. Worse, hunching forward also puts more stress on your upper spine, which leads to neck, back, and shoulder pain (ease shoulder pain with these 6 targeted exercises) . Did your neck start hurting one day and never stop? It’s probably the result of poor posture.
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But bad posture doesn’t just mean slumped shoulders. When you sit constantly—as most of us do—the muscles on the fronts of your hips become short and tight. What’s more, your glutes actually forget how to contract. (After all, with so much chair time, they’re not being used for much of anything except padding for your hip bones.) Now, the combination of tight muscles on the front of your hips and weak muscles on your backside causes your pelvis to tilt forward. This pushes your lower abdomen outward, making your belly pooch out—even if you don’t have an ounce of fat.
Related: 10 Things Your Breasts Say About You
Worse yet, high heels complete the unfortunate picture. Your high-fashion shoes not only contribute to a, shall we say, pooch, but again, leave you less perky up top as well, according to Rachel Cosgrove, author of The Female-Body Breakthrough. That’s because heels make your ankle muscles tight. This leads to tighter muscles all the way up your legs to your lower back. (Think of the old song: "The ankle bone is connected to the knee bone…” It’s the same way with your muscles.) And a tight lower back causes you to compensate by hunching forward even more, says Cosgrove. And ta-da! Your girls sag more than they perk. (And the wrong bra makes matters worse. Check out these 25 sports bras that will change your life.)
Bottom line: Your body is a chain of inter-related muscles from head to toe. If you have a problem in one area, it’s going to cause problems in another. The good news? You can use this simple three-step guide to slouch proof your posture. Start today—and you’ll begin to look better instantly.
1. Always sit as tall as you can. Sure, it sounds obvious, but remind yourself every few minutes, whether you’re at your desk or in your car. You’ll be surprised at how much you tend to slump when you’re not thinking about it. Then use these simple cues to set yourself straight.
Pull your shoulders down and back. Simply imagine that you’re trying to create as much space between your ears and shoulders as you can, and try to hold that position.
Pretend there’s a string attached from your chest to the ceiling, pulling your chest up at all times.
Brace your abs—as if you were about to be punched in your gut—but breathe normally. It’ll seem hard at first, but keep practicing, and it’ll become second nature. A bonus: it’ll also help fight lower back pain.
2. Do an exercise called the hip raise daily.
(Photo: Beth Bischoff)
This strengthens your glutes and teaches them how to contract again—which helps allow your pelvis to move back in its natural alignment. Here’s how to do it: Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your arms out to your sides. That’s the starting position. Now squeeze your glutes and raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from you shoulders to your knees. Pause for 5 seconds, then lower body back to the starting position. Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 repetitions every day.
Related: Try This 15-Minute Gentle Yoga Routine That Fights Pain
3. Stretch your chest.
(Photo: ThomasMacDonald)
This helps loosen your chest muscles, which become short and tighten when you slump. Try a simple doorway stretch: Place your arm against a door frame in the high-five position—your palm facing forward and your elbow bent 90 degrees. Now step through the doorway until you feel the stretch in your chest and the front of your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat with your other arm. That’s one set; do a total of 4 daily.
By The Editors of Prevention
This article ‘The Weird Way Your Shoes Could Be Making Your Breasts Sag’ originally ran on Prevention.com.
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