Perfect posture II

In the previous blog post I wrote about good posture and the emergence of posture problems. This time I will talk in more detail about improving posture and explain what you should pay attention to when sitting, standing, carrying things, driving a car, etc.

The first step to improving your posture is to figure out what needs to be changed. To do this, you need to monitor your posture throughout the day in various activities, for example:

• when sitting in a chair – do you constantly cross one leg over the other?
• when carrying things – do you always carry the bag on the SAME shoulder?
• picking things up – do you do it with rounded back?
• standing in line – are you hunched over looking at your phone?

During the day, try to be aware of what position you are currently in. This could become part of your everyday life so that you can understand which activities or situations are the causes of your bad posture.

Examples of bad posture:

• forward rotated shoulders,
• arched lower back,
• carrying heavy things always on the same side of the body,
• holding the phone between the ear and shoulder,
• head position too high or too low.

Examples of how not to sit on a chair:

• forward leaning position,

• the back of the chair is not used and is constantly sitting on the front part of the chair.

 

As mentioned before, it is important to identify problem areas in order to improve posture – whether you need to improve your body position when sitting, standing, walking, etc. Once the problem areas have been identified, you have to consistently start paying attention to your body positions. This way you can relieve your back pain over time. At first, it may seem like a tedious and difficult process, but over time, the correct body positions will become automatic and you will find that it is more comfortable this way.

In the following, I offer some guidelines on how to achieve better posture in various situations.

Sitting positions

• Always support your back against a backrest designed to support your back. Avoid slouching forward or “sinking” into the chair.
• If necessary, add lower back support to the chair (in this case I used a towel)

 

• When sitting on a chair, your arms should be bent at an angle of about 90 degrees. If not, you need to change the height of the chair accordingly.
• The knees should be in line with the hips.
• Support both soles on the floor. If your feet do not reach the floor properly, use a footrest.
• Sit with your shoulders relaxed.

Do not sit in one position all the time, change body positions often and stand up.

Standing positions

• When standing, keep your weight in the middle of the sole, not too much on the heels.
• Feet should be shoulder width apart.
• Do not stand with locked knees.
• Don’t stick your chin forward.
• Stand up straight.
• If you have to stand for a long time, shift your weight from foot to foot and toes and heels.

Walking

• Keep your head straight and look ahead.
• Avoid pushing your chin forward, i.e. keep your ears in line with your shoulders.
• Keep your shoulders back and down.

Driving a car

• Rest your back on the back of the seat.
• Avoid hunching forward.
• The headrest should support the head from the back and center.

Lifting and carrying things

• Always bend your knees, don’t lift things with a bent back.
• When lifting things, use your leg and abdominal muscles, not your lower back.
• When carrying things, always keep them close to your body.
• If you have to carry things in one hand, switch hands constantly.
• When carrying a backpack, avoid slumping your shoulders forward.

It is important to note that common posture problems are often caused by overly tense muscles that pull the body into an awkward position. There are a number of specific exercises that help stretch and relax the back muscles. Some clients have also said that meditation helps them relax their muscles better. Others have received help from massage, yoga and exercising.

It is important to choose the right way to take care of your body. You only have one body to live in for years to come.