All the exercises posted on PardonMyPosture.com are there to help fix some sort of musculoskeletal issue in your body, and it’s important to pick the right exercise for your problem. Similar to using the right tool for the job. It’d be great if you’ve visited some sort of healthcare professional who’s told you what muscles you need to strengthen, or even better if you’ve done research and learned/pinpointed these things yourself. Using that knowledge, you can choose some of the exercises here to perform and solve your problem.
If, for example, you have lower back pain, your physical therapist (or your inner voice) might have said to strengthen your gluteals and spinal erectors. You’d be able to find appropriate exercises here, like “bird dogs”, “supermans”, and “supine bridges” that offer long term relief.
Here’s a (somewhat known) secret for you – physical therapy is not rocket science, and it’s something anybody can learn. Granted, there are some excellent physiotherapists in the world, but most of them just look at the records and prescriptions provided by your doctor and show you some basic exercises. Everybody is usually given the same exercise prescription, for example if one comes in with lower lack pain, and it’s not tailored to the patient’s lifestyle amongst other things.
Even if you haven’t been to a doctor, it’s really possible to fix musculoskeletal dysfunction at home with self directed stretching, strengthening, and myofascial release. Muscles that are commonly weak in the modern desk warrior (perhaps you) who spends more than 12 hours a day sitting on the car seat, couch, or desk are listed below:
| Muscle Name | Location | Pain Caused |
| Triceps | Arms | Elbow |
| Gluteus Maximus | Butt | Back |
| Gluteus Medius | Butt | Knee |
| Vastus Medialis | Legs | Knee |
| Middle and Lower Trapezius | Mid Back | Shoulder |
| Obliques | Trunk | Back |
| Rectus Abdominis | Trunk | Back |
| Transverse Abdominis | Trunk | Back |
| Serratus Anterior | Trunk | Shoulder |
| Rhomboids | Upper Back | Back |
Weakness in these muscles, along with tightness and strength in their antagonist muscles (i..e triceps and biceps) tends to translate into chronic pain, reduced range of motion (ROM), and bad posture. Unfortunately, if you’re sitting for more than half the day, in a car seat driving, your couch watching TV, or at a desk on the computer, these weak muscles will always have a predisposition to staying weak. As a result, to keep a normal, pain-free body, you’re going to have to do these exercises routinely for most of your sitting life.
Exercises corresponding to each muscle group are given in the following posts. Check them out, and put in the work.
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