What is good posture?

The definition of posture is how you hold your body when standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture involves training your body to stand, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities.

So how do you improve your posture? Making small changes everyday can lead to major postural changes which will help keep you healthy and promote good posture.

A healthy back has three natural curves:

• An inward or forward curve at the neck (cervical curve)
• An outward or backward curve at the upper back (thoracic curve)
• An inward curve at the lower back (lumbar curve)

Good posture helps maintain these natural curves, while poor posture can stress or pull muscles and cause pain.

Tips for improving your posture while standing :

• Stand straight and tall with your shoulders back.
• Keep your head level and in line with your body.
• Pull in your abdomen.
• Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
• When standing, distribute body weight evenly to the front, back, and sides of the feet.
• Avoid regularly wearing high heels, which throw your spine out of alignment, and leads to low back pain.
• If you use a bag with a single shoulder strap, choose a strap that is long enough to place over your head and rest on the opposite side from the bag. This helps distribute the weight of the bag evenly and prevents distorting your posture.  The better solution is to wear a back pack or bag with two straps to distribute your body weight evenly on both hips.

Tips for improving your posture while sitting:

• Adjust the height of your chair so your feet rest flat on the floor and your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Don’t cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees.
• All three normal back curves should be present while sitting, if not, place a rolled towel or small pillow behind your lower back.
• Keep your upper back and neck comfortably straight.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed — not elevated, rounded or pulled backward.
• Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders back. Your buttocks should touch the back of your chair.
• When sitting in a chair that rolls or pivots, don’t twist at the waist while sitting; rather turn your whole body.
• When standing up from the sitting position, move to the front of the seat of your chair. Stand up by straightening your legs. Avoid bending forward at your waist.

Little changes to your posture matter. Bad sitting habits—from slouching to crossing your legs—can lead to serious injuries and chronic pain.  Regular exercise will help the body stay healthy, while specific strengthening exercises will help your core muscles stay strong; which will improve your posture.