The truth is I'm old (66). And as I age I look to my friends to see how they are aging. One of the things that makes one look older is poor posture. There is just something about walking and sitting all slumped over that adds years to your look. And what's worst is that if you habitually slump when sitting on the couch, while walking around doing errands, while standing and waiting in line-- your body becomes accustomed to the slouched posture. And eventually if you allow yourself to default to a slouched position most of the time your muscles will refashion themselves to this posture- shortening and tightening until you CAN'T stand up straight with good posture.
What Is Good Posture?
When a person exhibits good posture, they’re standing tall—not leaning forward or backward—with their shoulders down and back, head level and feet about shoulder-width apart. It should feel as if your head is suspended from the ceiling by a silken string. You should be extended to your naturally tall self.
It isn’t the rigid, military-like stance of chest out and shoulders back, good posture means maintaining balance and alignment in your muscles and skeleton with conscious awareness and release.
And it affects your entire body. “Good posture is a foundation for good health,” says Wendy Katzman, a physical therapist and former professor at the University of California San Francisco Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science. “Good posture in sitting and standing can be achieved by aligning the head over the torso, pelvis and legs. Good posture can also be achieved by maintaining good spinal alignment during activities of daily living.”
Why Is Good Posture Important?
Good posture helps prevent neck, shoulder and back pain, makes it easier to breathe and digest your food, and helps you maintain flexibility and balance. Bad posture, on the other hand, can restrict a person’s free movement, eventually making exercise and daily functioning difficult. It’s also important for efficiency—bad posture can lead to movement patterns that require more energy from your body. For these reasons, some researchers say good posture is a prerequisite to a healthy life.
The Impacts of Bad Posture
The price you pay for poor posture habits can be significant. When pain develops, you may discover simple tasks like carrying grocery bags or driving your car suddenly become difficult. If your muscles are contracted for many years—like when you habitually ‘slump’—they become less pliable or flexible, making it hard and sometimes even painful to exercise and do even simple activities.
Here are some common results of bad posture.
Back and Neck Pain
Poor posture increases load on the spine that can damage the vertebral discs and muscles, leading to increased risk for neck and back pain, as well as vertebral fractures when bone mineral density is low.
One particularly prevalent type of bad posture is called “text neck”—the strain on the spine of people who continually look down at their cell phones, laptops or reading devices. This strain can lead to neck pain and fatigue.
Shallow Breathing
Slouching, especially while sitting, can negatively affect breathing, according to a small 2018 study in Biomed Research International. In observing the breathing force of 35 men, researchers found those who slouched had a lower breathing force than those who sat upright.
Another form of bad posture called forward head posture (FHP), or when a person walks or stands with their head jutting forward, can also decrease a person’s breathing capacity, according to a small study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. Researchers analyzed the breathing of 15 men in two positions—a neutral-posture position and a position with the head pushed forward—and found those seated with their heads pushed forward exhibited decreased breathing.
Chronic Disability
Sometimes bad posture becomes habitual, particularly among people who sit in front of computers for work, and such posture issues can lead to chronic disability, according to a study in the journal Ergonomics. Slouching or slumping over time can make the spine fragile and prone to injury.
“When older adults experience spinal stenosis [the narrowing of spaces in the vertebrae, leading to compression of the nerves], they have a tendency to lean forward because it opens up the space for the nerves in the back,” says Kushagra Verma, M.D., a spine and scoliosis surgeon at Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Medical Center in California. “That’s probably the most common cause of bad posture in adults.”
“Sometimes adults can develop spinal deformities, such as thoracic kyphosis [rounded upper back], and that can also cause them to lean forward,” he adds. “These issues tend to be structural problems in the spine and may require surgery if there’s severe pain or disability.”
Negative Mood
Mood can affect posture, but posture can also affect mood. One study found that when a group of people with depression who tended to have slumped posture were asked to sit upright, they felt less tired, less anxious and more verbal.
How to Fix Bad Posture
A posture trainer, back brace or physical therapy should be the first types of treatments people pursue to correct their posture, says Dr. Verma. “If they’re still having pain and bad posture, they should seek the advice of a spine surgeon who is comfortable managing spinal deformities.”
Although there’s no data to show a posture trainer—a small device that adheres to your back and emits a gentle vibration when you begin to slouch—improves posture, it does create awareness of bad posture, he says. “It’s a reasonable first-line treatment.”
Posture tools and therapies aside, here are a few ways to achieve and maintain good posture.
Develop Postural Awareness
Learn what good posture feels like by standing with your back to a wall with your head, shoulder blades, rib cage and sacrum aligned against the wall. Practice deep diaphragmatic breathing in this position to support your upright spine.
Also, try consciously relaxing tight muscles. The way we gain better posture involves letting go of muscle contractions in our neck and elsewhere, but it’s especially important to become aware of tension in the neck, and bring it back to its naturally lengthened place.
Adjust Your Desk, Chair and Computer Screen
If you work on a computer, make sure your screen is at eye level, your feet can rest comfortably on the floor or on a footrest and your chair supports your back. Proper office ergonomics can make a significant impact on your posture both during your workday and when you’re off duty.
Pay Attention to How You Stand and Sit
When standing, keep your shoulders back and relaxed, your abdomen pulled in, your weight balanced on both feet placed hip-width apart, your knees relaxed and your head directly over your spine. When sitting, be it in front of the television or with your phone or laptop in your hands, be mindful of slouching and shoulder hunching.
Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing can help develop physical awareness and bring your body into correct posture positions, according to Katzman. Practice deep inhalations into the belly, ribcage and chest, as well as exhalations that draw your pelvic muscles and abdominals up and in and your shoulders back and down.
SO OUR CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEK IS A POSTURE CHALLENGE. For at least 5 minute per day while sitting and 5 minutes per day while standing assume great posture. Try a variety of activities while assuming good posture. (Try completing an entire grocery shopping trip while using great posture) And for every day you focus on your posture you earn the daily 5 bonus points.
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