Posture Pointers

How Important is Good Posture?

Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health.  It is as important as eating right, exercising, getting a good night's sleep, and avoiding potentially harmful substances.  Good posture is a way of doing things with more energy, less stress, and less fatigue.  Surprised?  Well you are not alone.  The importance of good posture in an overall fitness program is often overlooked by fitness advisers and fitness seekers alike.  In fact, the benefits of good posture may be among the best kept secrets of the current fitness movement.  The good news is that most everyone can avoid the problems caused by bad posture - and you can make improvements at any time.

What Does Bad Posture Look Like?

When you have poor posture, the body's proper vertical position is out of alignment and the back's natural curves become distorted.  There are three common poor postures:

Head Forward or Slouched Posture:

• rounded shoulders
• head forward, rounded upper back
• arched lower back
• protruding buttocks
• flattened chest
• abdominal organs sag, crowding and making more work for heart and lungs

Military Posture:

• head pulled back
• should blades tightly pulled back
• arched lower back
• knees locked
• minimizes the spinal column's ability to be a shock absorber for the body

Slumped Sitting Posture:

• upper back humped or too rounded
• head forward
• rounded upper back
• often starts in teenage years

What Does Perfect Posture Look Like?

Perfect standing posture is when the following are properly aligned - the points between your eyes, chin, collarbone, breastbone, pubic area and midpoint between your ankles.

From the side, you can easily see the three natural curves in your back.  From the front, your shoulders, hips and knees are of equal height; your head is held straight, not tilted or turned to one side.  From the back, the little bumps on your spine should be in a straight line down the center of your back.

Obviously, no one spends all day in this position, but if you naturally assume a proper relaxed standing posture, you will carry yourself in a more balanced position and with less stress in your other activities.

Improving Your Posture

When standing - hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to increase your balance.  If you stand all day in a job like a cashier or clerk, rest one foot on a stool or take breaks to get off of your feet for a while.

When sitting - use a chair with firm low back support.  Keep desk or table elbow high, adjust the chair or use a footrest to keep pressure off the back of the legs, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips.  Get up and stretch frequently - every hour if you sit for long periods of time.  Do not sit on a fat wallet - it can cause hip imbalances. 

When working on a computer - take a one or two minute break every 20 minutes.  Keep your computer screen 15 degrees below eye level.  Place reference materials on a copy stand even with and close to the terminal.

When sitting in a car - adjust the seat forward so your knees are higher than your hips.  Put a small pillow or cushion in the small of your back.

When sleeping -  sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow to make your head level with your spine.  Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head.  Use a small pillow or chiropractic pillow under your neck instead.  Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

When lifting - let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your low back.  Stand close to the object, then squat down and straddle it if possible.  Grasp the object and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as you stand up.  Carry the object close to your body.

When bending - never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time.  To lift or reach something on the floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.

If you follow these practices, but still feel discomfort and pain related to specific activities, visit your Doctor of Chiropractic periodically for spinal checkups and for a postural evaluation for yourself and your children.