Like a lot of people that are fairly tall I have always suffered from a bad posture. That is not helped by a mainly sedentary work environment…
Well, now there is an app for that! Coupled with a device that will attach to your lower back which you can calibrate for when you sit perfectly straight, it will signal when you revert back to slouching. It is a training device which you can wear for up to 45 minutes a day to remind your back how great it is to feel straight again!
That’s the theory, but how does it work in practice?
First up, let’s look at the device itself. It is well-designed, made from that soft velvety plastic and comes with adhesive strips so that you can place it in the small of your back.
When you switch on the power button on this device it will automatically connect via Bluetooth with the UPRIGHT app that you would have downloaded already. The next step is to take one of these adhesive strips, place it on the device and find the correct spot in the small of your back where it will be placed in a vertical position. The app will show you through simple animations how to do this. The next main step is calibration where you will sit in a perfect upright position (again the app will show you how that is achieved), followed by your normal slouched position which also will be registered by the device.
This personal posture trainer will gently get you through a training program, starting out with just five minutes and increasing to 60 minutes over a couple of weeks. It will keep track of your progress whenever you wear it. You can follow your own progress through the built-in analytics and statistics of the app.
How Did I Go?
It’s quite easy to follow the instructions, find the right spot to place the device, do the calibrations and get your first results.
In my case I noticed how hard it is to actually keep the proper upright position for a long time and it is good to have the occasional reminder by the UPRIGHT in your lower back. I use it mainly when I’m sitting down at the computer because if you stand up move around and bend down on occasion the device can pull a little bit on the hairs of your lower back if you are so endowed….
Have a look at this screenshot, taken halfway through the training program. The first day result is a little bit higher than it should have been as the device keeps on recording when you don’t shut down.
Conclusion
Just 14 days into the program doesn’t allow us to give a good verdict on how effective the UPRIGHT will be for me or anyone else for that matter. So far so good but continued use and more importantly, noticing that I walk and sit a lot straighter than before, will give us a substantiated opinion on the UPRIGHT.
And around £100 (or $133 Aussie bucks) from our friends at MobileFun it is well worth the outlay if you’re suffering from posture problems. Even if it doesn’t totally live up to your expectations, anything that will help you to walk taller and sit straighter is well worth to have a good look at. The UPRIGHT will certainly give you that awareness and a nudge in your back to walk tall!
We will keep you up-to-date as to the progress in a couple of months.
