How To Improve Posture

In any given situation, try following these steps to help you to improve your posture:

1. Check In With Your Body

   Are you feeling any pain or tension in your body at the moment? Make note of it because it gives you clues as to where you need to pay more attention. Some things to note:
   – How’s your breathing? Does it feel shallow or deep? It’s a sign of how stressed or relaxed you are.
   – Do you feel a lot of tension anywhere? How are your shoulder muscles? Your neck? Your low back? Be mindful of where you are holding tension in your body.
   – Are you sitting or standing evenly, or are you leaning to one side?

2. Think Tall

   We are all guilty of working in front of a computer for hours on end and getting lost in a task. Before we know it, we are really hunched forward and our neck and shoulders start to ache. If you catch yourself in those moments, tell yourself to “think tall”. Tuck your chin back and imagine holding yourself tall – as though someone is pulling you up by the hair at the crown of your head towards the ceiling. Depending on how tense your neck is, you may feel a stretch at the back of the neck as you tuck your chin in.

3. Head – Ribcage – Pelvis Alignment

   Another clue regarding posture is how your head position compares with the rest of your body. Imagine a straight line running from the top of your head down through the middle of your chest and pelvis. Keeping your head, ribcage and pelvis aligned in this way ensures that your spine remains in its natural curve, reducing strain on your muscles and joints. Naturally, you will come in and out of this alignment as you go about your day. Maybe you have to bend down to pick something up off the floor. Maybe you have to twist and reach forward to rake leaves in the front yard. Once you are done the task, correct your posture and restore the upright alignment between your head, ribcage and pelvis alignment.
   

4. Pace Yourself

   Pay attention to how long you have been staying in one position. Take a moment to shift and re-center yourself frequently, as described above in steps 2 and 3. We are not built to stay in one position for five or six hours continuously. Even in our sleep we make subtle shifts in bed throughout the night. If you have a desk job, try stretching at your desk or getting up for a short walk once every hour. Set an alarm or timer on your cell phone – whatever it takes to remind you to shift and reset your posture! Similarly, if you are doing a repetitive task such as chopping ingredients, lifting boxes or weeding a garden, you also need to give yourself a break ideally every 30 to 40 minutes.

5. Survey Your Environment

   Are there things you can change in your surroundings to help you to improve your posture? Do you need a cushion to support your back in your chair? If you are standing, can you place things at waist or counter height so that you don’t have to bend or arch your back repeatedly to reach things? Ergonomics is an entire field of study which examines how to optimize the work environment for the worker’s efficiency and well-being. More ergonomic tips for your work station can be found here.

6. Stay Active

   When you are active and in the habit of exercising, you are in a better position to withstand postures and activities which are hard on your muscles and joints. This means you can bounce back quicker after being stuck in “poor posture” and can keep going without lingering pain. Training your core, balance and flexibility are all excellent ways to counteract poor posture.