Proper posture is important because it keeps your spine in a more neutral
position that does not put pressure on bones, muscles, disks, soft tissue,
nerves and other structures in the back.
Now I know what you are thinking already. "I practice good posture and I don't
need to read this." Ahhh...but do you really pay attention to your posture?
Can you honestly say when you sit down or take a walk that you are reminding
yourself about your posture?
I bet the only time you really pay attention to your posture is when you sit up
after slouching in your seat and then tell yourself, "I am practicing good
posture." Now think about all the times that you practice bad posture and don't
even realize it.
And you wonder why you have back pain? Look, unless you are a robot, you can't
practice perfect posture all the time. Whether sitting or standing, just try to
be more aware of your overall posture.
Practice Good Posture
But what can you do to practice better posture besides just sitting up straight?
One of the easiest ways to fall into a habit of poor posture is typing at a
computer. Your hands reach for the keyboard which causes your shoulders to
slump forward. This promotes poor posture and can lead to back problems.
Here's a trick. Get a yard stick and place it across the center of your sternum
just below your clavicle bones. As you are sitting and holding the yard stick
(or you could have someone hold it for you) try to keep your shoulders from
touching it. You shouldn't feel like you have to hold your shoulders back
either.
Good posture should always be comfortable. This will teach you to keep your
shoulders from slumping forward and causing you to have poor posture. Practice
this a few times with the yard stick. Do it long enough until it is reinforced
in your mind and you are trained to keep your shoulders back without having to
use a yard stick.
Also, try not to lean to one side while either sitting or standing. It's so
easy to just lean to one side and let your elbow rest on a table while sitting
or lean your body weight to one side while standing in one place. These tiny
shifts albeit small and seemingly insignificant put a gradual strain on the
muscles, ligaments and vertebrae in your back.
You can also analyze your own posture while sitting in front of a mirror. Look
in the mirror and see if you are sitting all the way back in your chair. See if
your shoulders are slumped forward? Does the lower lumbar area of your back fit
snug up against your chair if it has a lumbar support? Are you sitting straight
in the chair instead of at an angle? Are you leaning too much against the back
of the chair which can promote the sagging of back muscles and poor posture?
These are just some of the observations you can make to better analyze faults so
you can make the necessary adjustments for better overall posture.
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