You most likely have heard someone speak about the importance of good posture, but chances are that you haven’t really given this too much thought. Sure, you don’t want to end up permanently stooped over, or find yourself suffering from chronic back pain, but what does good posture mean beyond appearance? What does it mean for your body?
Good posture goes beyond looks. It helps you to stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions with the least amount of strain on the muscles and ligaments activated during movement. It also keeps your bones and joints in alignment, and it helps to support the ligaments holding your spine together to reduce the likelihood of injury.
Poor posture, on the other hand, can lead to strain and cause your body to be out of alignment. Stress, obesity, pregnancy, weak muscles, tight muscles, bad working posture, and high-heeled shoes are all major contributors to poor posture.
Luckily, over time many poor posture habits can be reversed by simply practicing good posture.
Follow these instructions to maintain the proper seated and standing positions:
Proper Sitting Position
-Keep your feet flat on the floor or up on a footrest if they don't touch the ground
-Do not cross your legs. Your ankles should rest on the floor (or footrest) in front of your knees
-Sit forward enough in your chair so that there is a small gap between the backs of your knees and your chair.
-Your knees should not be positioned over your feet.
-Relax your shoulders and hold your forearms parallel to the ground.
-Avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time.
Proper Standing Position
-Maintain the bulk of your weight on the balls of your feet.
-Keep your knees slightly bent. Do not lock them!
-Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
-Let your arms hang naturally at your sides.
-Tuck your stomach slightly in.
-Keep your head level so that your earlobes are in line with your shoulders.
-Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time.
