Posture Isn’t That Important… Right?

May 22, 2018

Poor Posture

Posture

In the past, whenever I heard someone say “posture is important” or “you can do damage if you sit or stand incorrectly”, I honestly wouldn’t pay attention to it.

There’s nothing worse than being ‘nagged’ to “Stand up straight” or “stop slouching!…”

There are some instances where it just can’t be helped.

As many others do, I assumed that I was being nagged and that it really wasn’t a “big deal”.

But oh how I was wrong!

I quickly learned that that’s anything BUT the case.

I was surprised to find that poor posture is one of the biggest causes of shoulder and neck pain today…

And when you realize just how easy it can be to correct posture, you’ll wonder why more people don’t understand its importance!

Here are a few quick tips that will help you spot “bad posture” and how to improve it.

Tip #1:

Watch yourself in the mirror. There can be signs of poor posture even before pain occurs. So, if you can sport the signs early enough, it is often easier to fix!

Signs of poor posture include:

  • Slumped or rounded shoulders
  • Protruding abdomen
  • An excessive curve in your lower back
  • A caved appearance to the chest
  • Pain (the one that usually shows up last)

To improve your standing and walking posture, “Think tall”. Imagine a string being pulled from the top of your head, pulling you upward.

Tip #2:

Another great tip I use myself is to practice tightening your abdominal muscles and flattening your stomach. Hold it for a few seconds, then relax. Repeat throughout the day.

Tip #3:

When standing for long periods of time, many people tend to rest their weight predominantly on one foot. Instead, try standing evenly balanced on both feet. If this proves tiring, shift the weight from one foot to the other regularly.

One of the most common causes of poor posture is having a job where you sit at a desk all day. It puts the back and shoulders into an unnatural position!

Tip #4:

Try and take a break every 30 minutes and stand up during this break. When sitting at a desk, lean forward at your hips, bring your trunk forward, and try to keep your lower back pressed against the chair. This should really help to improve your posture and prevent other problems from surfacing.

If you have any more questions about the importance of posture or even shoulder and neck pain, just ask and I’ll be more than happy to help.

And just remember…

“Think Tall.”

Nick Hunter, PT, DPT
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