Integrated Health > Nutrition

POSTURE

Remember your mother always saying “SIT UP STRAIGHT!”  She was right. The benefits of good posture far outweigh the ease of slouchy poor posture.

How Poor Posture Happens:

Poor posture is easy whereas adapting habits of good posture often require conscious effort. Most people do not think about their posture until someone brings it to their attention.

Poor posture habits: (Habits, Backpacks, Purses and Briefcases)

• Children carry huge over loaded backpacks
• Adults managing briefcases, purses and other items
• Ergonomically incorrect workstations
• Hunching over a computer whether for work or play.
• Poor sleeping habits

Poor posture is not only habitual, but is also seen in people with low self–esteem, degenerative problems affecting the spine, pain causing muscle guarding, and obesity.

What Does Good Posture Look Like?

Good posture means there is musculoskeletal balance. This balance helps to protect the joints in the spine from excessive stress. It also guards against injury and possible deformity. Good posture is a great 'tool' to possess to help prevent pain. 

The body should be straight, but not robotic! The appearance relaxed as the ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles align in one straight line. If you hung an imaginary plumb line from the earlobe, the line would hang straight through the middle of the anklebone.