Sore from Slouching? Try the Ten Minute Cushion!
Is this you?
“I try to sit straight, but I get lost in my work and then realize I’ve been slouching for hours! It’s really bad. I feel better after my adjustments but then I fall back into the same bad habits and it starts to hurt again. I’ve tried stretching but I need something more.”
Good news, we have the solution! It’s called a Ten Minute Cushion. It’s inexpensive, corrects your posture, is easy to use, and is a favourite of both Dr. Jamie and Dr. Laina.
How do I know if I can benefit from Ten Minute Cushion?
Almost everyone can benefit from the stretch you get when you use a Ten Minute Cushion. We’re all hunched over our desks, rounded forward on our Pelotons, lounging on soft couches watching Netflix, and scrolling for hours with our heads down.
These daily habits are often ruining our posture, seriously affecting our health and causing us pain and tension.
Do you experience any of the following?
- Neck tension
- A hump in your upper back
- Pain in the centre of your chest
- Your ribs going out of alignment (pain behind your shoulder blade)
- Pain in the upper back
- Headaches and migraines
- Frozen shoulder
- Tight, sore shoulders or chest
- Upper arm pain
- Finger tingling
- Stooped Posture
If you answered yes…the Ten Minute Cushion is for you!
Can I use an exercise ball or foam roller instead?
Sort of. 🙂
We used to recommended a large exercise ball or foam roller for this purpose. They didn’t work well because exercise balls are too wobbly and foam rollers are too hard, often not long enough and unstable.
But, we were seeing so many issues caused by poor posture that we needed to find a solution. We did our research, tried many products and found the Ten Minute Cushion to be the most effective, affordable and comfortable.
We used it ourselves before recommending it to patients and couldn’t believe how it alleviated symptoms we were experiencing from rounding forward over patients all day.
The advantage of the Ten Minute Cushion is that it gently trains your spine to be in the ideal posture – bringing with it all the relief of a healthy nerve system.
Are there best practices?
Yes!
We summarized some key points below but please watch our complete guide for beginner to advanced Ten Minute Cushion use above.
- Lay on any surface that isn’t too soft, a yoga mat is fine but your mattress may be too mushy.
- Start with the white stripe on the cushion just above the belt-line. The higher the cushion is on your back, the deeper the stretch.
- If you feel strain in your neck or it doesn’t rest comfortably on the floor please use a pillow to begin.
- If your lower back doesn’t lay comfortably on the cushion or feels strained please keep your knees bent.
- Lay with your palms up.
- Start with 2-3 minutes and work your way up.
Keep in mind that you won’t get all of the benefits from the cushion if your spine is locked from years of slouching and you need an adjustment.
You’ll look and feel better more quickly if you have your spine checked before beginning any Ten Minute Cushion program.
Can I use it incorrectly and hurt myself?
Yes!
Please take it slowly, begin with a minute or two and slowly work up from there.
***Please do not look at your phone or strain your neck in any way while on the cushion.***
When getting off the cushion please do not sit straight up! Roll to the side and push yourself up.
Do not use it when suffering from an acute spasm or injury. It may feel great after a day at work but won’t feel so good if you woke up with a kink in your neck or hurt yourself playing soccer.
As always, check with your healthcare provider before beginning any new stretching or strengthening program.
Please talk to one of our chiropractors when you’re in for an appointment to make sure you’re using it ideally for your spine.
Does it come in different types or sizes?
Yes, it comes in 3 variations:
Charcoal and Teal – firm density, recommended for active adults.
Olive – slightly softer, recommended for seniors or people with poor flexibility.
Red – recommended for children or people of shorter stature. This product is slightly shorter in length to fit a smaller back.
That’s it!
If you have more questions about your posture please contact us, we’re here to help.
Happy Stretching 🙂
