Do you ever remember your mom telling you to “stand up straight!” or “stop slouching!”? A lot of us certainly do! As a kid, this may have been more of an annoyance if anything, but as an adult you start to realize how important having good posture is. We most often hear about how good posture is beneficial because it makes us appear more confident and attractive. Good posture is usually seen as a sign of proper manners, class, and self-assurance. But what we don’t usually hear about are the actual physical benefits that good posture has on our bodies now and in the long term. Good posture helps prevent back pain, helps maintain spinal alignment, prevents neck pain, inflammation, headaches, etc. There are a number of benefits for our bodies that come with maintaining good posture, but the struggle that most people have is maintaining it.
The truth is that we live in an age where the good majority of people carry with them a ton of mental stress, which in turn shows up on our bodies. A lot of people also have desk jobs where they do not even stand up for hours, and are sitting down and staring at a computer screen for a good majority of the day. These people tend to suffer with what we call “tech neck” from staring at their screens, and it can lead to chronic neck pain and stiffness. This lifestyle that we have become accustomed to does not promote good posture or good physical health. It is important that whether you do or do not have a job like this where you are sitting for most of the day that you try to maintain good, healthy posture as it will help prevent pain, inflammation, and overall reduce stress. This can become really difficult to undo as time passes, since our muscles get used to the stress and strain and restrictions will form in our tissue making it difficult to maintain proper posture.
So, how do we attain and maintain proper posture? The very first step to practicing good posture is first knowing what that looks like for you. Listed below are the basic guidelines for aligning your back, shoulders, neck, and head so that you have healthy posture:
- chin parallel to the floor
- shoulders even (roll your shoulders up, back, and down to help achieve this)
- neutral spine (no flexing or arching to overemphasize the curve in your lower back)
- arms at your sides with elbows straight and even
- abdominal muscles braced
- hips even
- knees even and pointing straight ahead
- body weight distributed evenly on both feet.
- When sitting down, keep your chin parallel to the floor; your shoulders, hips, and knees at even heights; and your knees and feet pointing straight ahead.
It is also important to know the most significant benefits of practicing good posture, so that you know what might help with, in case you are experiencing any related issues. By practicing the guidelines listed above, you should notice that it will help with the following:
- Reduces lower back pain
- Fewer headaches
- Increases energy levels
- Reduces tension in shoulders and neck
- Decreases the risk of abnormal wearing of the joint surfaces
- Increases lung capacity
- Improves circulation and digestion
- Reduces TMJ pain
- Improves core strength
- Improves your overall form during workouts
- Helps you to appear taller
- Boosts self-confidence
Lastly, it is important to figure out how to maintain good posture, as this can be the most difficult part to overcome. There are different ways that you can maintain good posture while standing, sitting, and lying down/sleeping, and it is important to practice improving your posture in each of these three common positions. Here are some tips below to maintaining good posture for each position:
Sitting:
If your job requires a lot of sitting, maintaining a correct position all day can be difficult. Get in the habit of remembering to have good posture. When we are busy and tired, we often allow our bodies to lean forward and to hunch, which can result in “text neck” from bending your neck too far forward.
While sitting at your desk, it is important to keep your back straight and to prevent your shoulders from rolling forward. You want your weight to be evenly distributed while you keep your feet flat to the ground. Adjust the height of your chair so that your knees bend at a natural 90-degree angle. Avoid crossing your legs as this may actually worsen any back pain. If you suffer with back pain, you might want to consider an ergonomic chair.
Correct Sitting Position:
- Adjust the chair height so your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are in line with your hips
- Sit up straight and keep your hips far back in the chair
- Recline the back of the chair at a 100- to 110-degree angle
- Move the keyboard close and directly in front of you
- Adjust the monitor directly in front of you, a few inches above eye level
- Sit at least 20 inches (or an arm’s length) away from the computer screen
- Relax your shoulders and be aware of them rising toward your ears or rounding forward throughout the workday
Standing:
Standing with good posture looks and feels great! Plus, it is healthier for your joints, muscles, bones and blood circulation. Your posture is a direct result of the postural habits that you commonly exhibit. Gravity is your worst enemy while standing or sitting, especially once fatigue sets in. The number one tip to achieve a great standing posture is to simply stand tall! All the muscles that you need to push you taller are the same ones that improve your posture.
Correct Standing Position
- Stand tall!
- Extend your head directly up but keep your chin tucked in (Avoid tilting your head forward, backward or sideways)
- Your earlobes will line up with the middle of your shoulders
- Keep your shoulders back
- Let arms hang naturally down the sides of the body
- Avoid tilting your pelvis forward
- Keep your knees slightly bent but not locked
- Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet
- Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart
- Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time
Lying Down/Sleeping:
It is fine to treat yourself to an occasional night of watching tv in bed, but pay attention to how you position yourself to avoid backache. But poor bed posture can worsen or even cause backache. Avoid lying down on your back with your head bent on a large angle on a pillow as this puts undue stress on your neck and shoulders. Instead, prop some pillows behind your back for some support. Bend your legs and put a pillow under your knees.
It is important to maintain the natural curve of the spine when lying in bed. A person can do this by ensuring the head, shoulders, and hips are in alignment, and that the back is properly supported. The best way to do this is usually by sleeping on the back.
Correct Sleeping/Lying Down Position
- Try to sleep in a position that helps you maintain the curve in your back
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach, especially on a saggy mattress
- Select a firm mattress and box spring set that does not sag
- Try using a back support (lumbar support) at night to make you more comfortable
If you have tried practicing these tips and are still experiencing pain, or if you are having a hard time self-correcting and are experiencing pain because of it, you may need a little extra help. Maintaining good posture can require help by working with a myofascial release specialist who can undo your tissue restrictions and retrain your muscles, allowing you to hold onto good form with ease! Here at Arancia Physical Therapy, we not only will help correct this pain for you, but we will provide you with the tools that you need to ensure that you are able maintain this on your own to keep the pain from returning. If you are interested in learning more, contact us online or give us a call at 401.602.7006!
Tags: healthytips, healthandwellness, posture, health, wellness, naturalpainrelief, PT, physicaltherapy
