Why We Strive for Good Posture

Our problems with posture

Posture is hardly provocative; mentioning the word may be enough to make people sit up straight as they read it, but the attention span soon wanes and our heads instinctively lean toward the screen, like a fly to light, setting the tone for the rest of the body to follow up with poor posture. Below, I have identified the three most pressing problems that are likely to result from sitting excessively with poor posture. 

• A compromised core
• shortened hip flexors
• Anterior pelvic tilt
• Internally rotated shoulders 

These problems perpetuate each other; before we can address the question of shoulder stability, we should have some semblance of core stability, and this begins with stronger muscles!

Correcting posture right now?

If you just wanted to taste good posture for a moment so you can know what to strive for, try the following exercise:

• Stand and flex the glutes
• Flex the abs lightly and relax the glutes
• Stand up tall and pull your shoulders back
• Let your arms hang; in this position, the upper back should assume the responsibility for stabilizing the shoulders. 

For many of us, this will feel like a whole body stretch, but this is the standard to which we should strive. And it can be easily transposed onto a seated position. 

Making good posture second nature

We want to establish excellent posture as your baseline, especially if you are among the legions of workers who earn their daily bread by working at a desk. Having better posture life is about attitude: once we’ve brought it into the realm of consciousness, can we be proactive enough to maintain the muscles and positioning that makes us healthier? Keep in mind that posture is the basis of movement- you can effectively improve your life across the board with the knowledge and application of good posture; if you are interested in finding out more, give our office in Dunedin a call to schedule an appointment today.

Dr. Diane Hayes, D.C.