The Importance of Good Posture +

Many of us are concerned with our health. We have reduced fats, sugars and carbohydrates from our diet and many of us are exercising to tone the muscles.

Very few of us pay attention to our posture.

Considering that the spine, skeleton, soft tissue, connective tissue and joints make up our structure that is not unlike that of a frame of a house, you would think we would pay more attention to it. These are what keeps our bodies together and allow us to walk, run, and work.

Bad posture, such as slouching can affect the way we feel and can make us more prone to joint, bone and soft tissue injuries due to misusing them. Various occupations can put us at risk. Many of us work at a desk with computers, as cashiers, assembly workers or nurses and nurse’s aids and risk repetitive injuries as is seen in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, back and neck pain and ‘pinched’ nerves. The strain on the spine, muscles and uneven stress on the joints can lead to debilitating and permanent damage.

Back pain is the second most reported occupational injury in the U.S. and the U.K. Studies found 95% of lower and middle back pain is due to bad posture while standing, sitting and even exercising.

Poor posture is a learned behavior and can be unlearned. Start by checking your posture. In an ideal posture, the feet should be shoulder width apart with the thighs elongated. Watch the lower back and avoid arching or leaning back. The tail should be slightly tucked down. Lift the breast bone, your shoulder blades should move down and create a distance between the hipbone and the rib cage. The chin should be level and the head and upper back should be the highest point on the body.

A good way to check your posture is the wall test.

Stand with the back of the head touching the wall. Heels should be six inches from the baseboard. With your butt touching the wall, check the distance with your hand between your neck and the wall. If you’re within two inches at the neck, you are close to a good posture. If not, the neck posture is too forward and can be subject to deterioration of joints and discs.

Good posture should be continued in walking, sitting, driving and in almost every activity. In walking, start with a correct standing posture. Walk heel to toe and as you walk, your head should be balanced over your head and shoulder, shoulders should be rolled back with the spine slightly lifted. Take steps of equal length.

When walking upstairs, most of us tend to lean forward and take the steps with the balls of our feet. The proper way to walk up stairs is to stand straight and place the entire foot on the steps. This does feel awkward at first as most of us have been doing it wrong for years.

When sitting, feet should be placed on the floor or if you are short, feet should be placed on a foot stand. The knees and hips should be bent at about a 135 degree angle. Don’t cross the legs. (Yes, I know, many of us do that) When sitting in a chair, make sure your tail is back against the chair and maintain an arch in the lower back. Sometimes, using a lumbar roll will be comfortable to support the arch. These can be purchased or made by rolling a towel or pillow length-wise with a length of about 12 inches. If sitting for long periods of time, get up from the chair and walk or stretch to keep your muscles toned and to relieve stress.

Maintain proper posture while driving to relieve fatigue, especially on long trips. Sit as close to the steering wheel as possible to avoid having to stretch the arms to reach it.
Adjust the seat so your back is vertical and is supported by the back of the seat. Knees should be bent to reach the pedals. The knees should be as high as or higher than the hips. Elbows should be bent slightly and relaxed.

Sleeping posture is often times overlooked until we awaken with a stiff neck or other body aches. Sleeping on the stomach puts extreme pressure on your back. The ideal sleep position is on your side, (no, it doesn’t matter which one), with the knees bent, or sleep on your back. Use a pillow to support the head and align it with the spine, but avoid using thick or double pillows as this will throw off the alignment of your head and spine. Sleep on a slightly firm mattress, again to support the spine. You don’t want a mattress so soft that you sink to the floor.

Learning good posture will help keep the spine in good shape and prevent injuries or pain in the lower back. Exercise to strengthen the muscles and to tone them. Remember, we only have the one body, take care of it by paying attention to it.