Why Good Posture Matters

January 17, 2019

The Importance of Good Posture

Good posture is important for more than just an appealing look; it helps to improve your overall health and well-being. Being mindful of your posture and making corrections as needed can help you achieve proper posture and allow you to reap an abundance of health benefits.

Explaining Proper Posture

Posture refers to your body position when you are standing, sitting, lying down, and when you’re performing movements such as lifting, bending, and twisting.

Your spine consists of three natural curvatures that need to be aligned correctly so that your weight is evenly distributed over both of your feet. The three curves include:

Cervical curve – this is the curve in your neck that has a slight forward curve.
Thoracic curve – this is the curve in your upper and mid back that has a slight backwards curve.
Lumbar curve – this is the curve in your lower back that has a slight forward curve.

Good posture involves having your ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle aligned vertically from the side. In many cases, you’ll need to train your body to maintain good posture so that the least amount of strain is placed on the joints, muscles, and ligaments of your body.

Health Benefits of Good Posture

Maintaining proper posture has many benefits including:

Keeping your joints and bones in proper alignment.
Ensuring muscles are being used effectively and efficiently.
Helping to decrease abnormal wear and tear on joint surfaces.
Decreasing stress on the spinal ligaments.
Preventing the spine from becoming fixed in an abnormal position.
Preventing muscle fatigue.
Minimizing the risk of sprain and strain injuries.
Minimizing the risk of back pain.
Promoting a good appearance.

Negative Health Effects of Poor Posture

There are a variety of factors involved in poor posture, with the most common factors being obesity, pregnancy, stress, and weak and/or tight muscles.

Poor posture has a variety of negative health consequences, including:

Creating muscle imbalances in the body.
Accelerating wear and tear on your spine, making you more susceptible to injury.
Increasing the risk of neck, shoulder, and back pain.
Decreasing flexibility of the body.
Interfering with your balance, increasing your risk of falling.
Impairing digestion of food.
Impairing breathing.

Tips for Improving Posture

There are a variety of things you can do to improve your posture, including:

Being mindful of your posture throughout the day, particularly when sitting at a computer or watching TV.
Engaging in regular physical activity that focuses on balance exercises as well as stretching and strengthening for your core muscles.
Maintaining a healthy weight.
Ensuring that you have an ergonomically friendly workstation.

Conclusion

Proper posture is essential to your health and well-being. The good news is that by being conscious of your posture throughout the day and making simple modifications to improve your posture, you can achieve proper posture and improve your health with minimal effort.