When you were a child, you may have been told to “Stand up straight!” or “Don’t slouch!” by your parents and teachers. I remember when I was younger, my mother would poke my back out of nowhere to remind me to stand up straight. I hated this as a teen and was determined to rebel for no reason other than to be stubborn and go against what I was told. My purposeful slouching eventually turned into a habit and carried with me into adulthood.
Now that I’m older, I understand why my mother was so insistent. My poor posture caused:
- Pain in my back and shoulders
- Shallow breathing
- A lack of self confidence
- Weakness—energy didn’t flowing efficiently throughout my body
I have spent much time correcting the damage and undeveloped muscles from my rebellious teen years. Like any habit, breaking bad posture can be a challenge, but is definitely doable with some attention and practice. Many of us may like to improve our posture, but we often don’t know how, or where to start.
Posture 101
Posture is defined as the carriage of the body. Good posture means carrying your body in a way that puts the least strain on muscles and ligaments. Poor posture can cause pain in the back and neck, and eventually causes injury. Improving your posture is a great way to improve your image while at the same time improving your health.
First, let’s go over some of the things that contribute to poor posture. Most of them are fixable, and others (like pregnancy) eventually go away on their own.
- Poor habits—sitting and standing incorrectly (this is me)
- Weakened muscles
- Obesity—the extra weight strains the muscles
- Pregnancy
- Improper shoes—high-heeled shoes are the worst
- Reduced muscle and joint flexibility
Benefits of Good Posture
Good posture is beneficial to your health in several ways. Standing and sitting correctly prevents strain and overuse, and helps prevent back, neck, and muscle pain. Good posture also helps the muscles work more efficiently, which helps prevent fatigue. Most importantly, I have found that I can breathe deeply from my belly (my core). The energy I get from a deep breath is what keeps me going during the day.
