How’s Your Posture?

Remember your mother saying to you, “stand up straight and quit slouching!”?  I sure do!  Many of us did “the slouch” as teenagers, not sure how to handle our growing, changing bodies. But the way you stand, sit, and even sleep can affect your health and well-being.  Proper posture is more important than you think!

Good posture is the correct alignment of the muscles and ligaments, which in turn keep our other body parts in the right place and functioning optimally.  When we have proper posture, we stand, walk, sit, and lie down in positions that place the least amount of strain on the body structures during weight-bearing activities and movement.

It is easy to have poor posture and not realize it.  Many visits to the doctor for back pain are the result of not standing, sitting, or lying properly.  When the spine is in a slouching position, like when we are working at our computers, hunched forward at the waist for long periods of time, the spine is placed in an abnormal position.  This can result in back, neck, and shoulder pain.  Standing improperly for long periods of time can cause muscle strain, which contributes to low back pain.  And there is now a condition referred to as “text neck”.  You can see this every day, with heads bent looking at their mobile phones.

Poor posture can contribute to deteriorating vertebrae, circulation problems, and digestive problems.  When you are slouching, your lungs and respiratory system cannot function optimally.

So why do we have bad posture?  Being overweight and less active changes the way our muscles support our skeleton.  Certain chairs, unsupportive mattresses, and even poor self-esteem can all contribute to having bad posture.

Check your posture!  Stand with the back of your head against a wall, placing your heels about 6 inches from the wall.  Your buttocks and shoulder blades should touch the wall.  There should be less than 2 inches between your neck or small of the back and the wall.  A larger gap indicates poor posture, with curvature of the spine.

You CAN correct your posture.  When you are standing, make sure that your head is level, not tilted to one side or pushed forward or backward, and with your earlobes in line with your shoulders.  Keep your shoulders back and your stomach tucked in.  Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet about shoulder-width apart.

When sitting, keep your feet flat on the floor.  Use a footrest or footstool if they don’t reach the floor.  Don’t cross your legs, and try to keep your ankles in front of your knees.  Relax your shoulders.  Make sure that the chair supports your low and mid back.  Use a back support if necessary.  Avoid sitting for long periods of time.  Get up and walk around, stretching periodically.

Finding the proper lying position is very important to good posture.  Choose a mattress that is right for you.  Some people find a firm mattress is the best support, while others prefer a softer mattress to help reduce back pain.  Sleep with a pillow for proper alignment of the spine.  Try not to sleep on your stomach.  Sleeping on your side is often helpful for back pain sufferers, as is placing a pillow between your knees.  If you must sleep on your back put a pillow under your knees.

I have a friend who has put a note on his computer, and it simply states “Posture”.  He is working to improve his body positioning and this is a good reminder for him.

So stand and sit tall, and feel better!

Blessings to you,

Nurse Anne