The position you hold your body when standing, sitting, or even moving is known as posture.
Several factors get in the way of us having good posture. Although some of the reasons are genetic or associated with aging or injuries, habits such as slouching, wrong shoes, stress, and even the nature of your job can contribute to poor posture.
Some of the habits mentioned above put extra stress on important musculoskeletal parts leading to widespread body pain, particularly in your neck, shoulders, back, knees, and hips.
Signs of bad posture include rounded shoulders and a “hunched stance” while sitting or standing.
How to correct your body posture? According to experts the key to fixing poor posture is strengthening and stretching the muscles in the upper back, chest, and core.
While standing, try to keep your head upright, align your head with your body – no slouching. According to SELF Magazine: “Stand with most of your weight on the balls of your feet and let your arms lie at your sides. Lastly, tuck in your stomach to avoid arching your back and keep your feet about shoulder-width apart to make sure your weight is evenly distributed.”
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Sitting? Here’s a tip from Saloni Doshi, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, “Put a rolled towel behind your shoulders. It makes you sit up straight so the towel won’t fall. “
Read this link for other exercises that can help.
Remember exercising and yoga are also great tools to improve your posture.
Image: Unsplash
