Your posture is how you sit, stand, and lie down. Not many people realize that the way they position their bodies affect their overall health and well-being. Experts say good posture is essential for good health. But have you ever wondered what exactly a good posture is?
Most people don't really know what a good posture is. They don't even know what a bad posture can do to their health. In fact, many problems that you experience today might be because of a bad posture.
If you've been suffering from persistent back, neck, and shoulder pain and can't figure out the cause, believe us when we say that it's a sign that you need to work on posture correction! And the sooner you start, the better it is for you!
This blog post will explain in detail what bad posture can do to your health, what a good posture is, and how you can correct your posture.
What Can Bad Posture Do to Your Health?
We don't take our posture too seriously, do we? When someone tells us to sit in a certain manner, we simply shrug the suggestion off because we're comfortable and don't see the point of changing anything about how we do something.
But what's a comfort to you doesn't necessarily mean it's right. The thing about bad posture is that our bodies get so used to the wrong posture that the correct posture starts to feel uncomfortable.
But wait till you find out what a bad posture means for your body.
Affects Spine Curvature
Properly aligned spine curves at 3 points to form an S. When you sit in an incorrect posture for long hours every day, the natural curvature of your spine gets altered. This puts pressure on the spine. The spine, when properly aligned, absorbs shock and prevents injuries. But bad posture affects the natural curvature and puts your body at a higher risk of injury.
Back Pain
Another way bad posture affects you is by putting pressure on the shoulder blades and tailor bone. When you're sitting in a slouched posture with a flat back, the pressure between the shoulder blades is increased. It also strains the lower back. The result in chronic pain in the upper and lower back.
Poor Sleep
Poor posture results in the misalignment of the spine and compromises the position of the entire muscle system. As a result, you may find it hard to find the perfect sleeping posture, which will affect your sleep quality. The result will be a foul mood, irritability, and poor productivity throughout the day.
Disrupted Digestion
Continuing to sit in a bad posture can result in disrupted digestion and stomach problems. This is because an incorrect posture puts pressure on organs and results in digestion-related problems.
What is the Perfect Posture?
Now that you know how a bad posture can affect you, you may want to know what is a correct posture so that you can start working on posture correction.
We've explained the perfect posture in detail below:
Correct Sitting Posture
Most people spend most of their day sitting at work, and surprisingly, most of them aren't aware that they're sitting in an incorrect posture. When sitting at work, ensure you're working with your back and shoulders straight, with your back and buttocks touching the backrest. You can use a lumbar support pillow to support the natural spine curvature. Sit with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle such that they're slightly higher than your hips. Your feet should be flat on the floor. Your work desk should be at a suitable height so that you don't have to bend too much. Your arms should be at 90 degrees on each side, and you should be able to reach the desk's surface comfortably without lifting your arms or shoulders awkwardly.
In short, your body should be at ease and relaxed while sitting at work. If your body isn't relaxed, you'll end up straining your back, neck, and shoulders.
Correct Driving Posture
When driving, ensure you're sitting straight up with your back fully supported by the backrest and your head close to the headrest. Your knees should be at the same or slightly higher as your hips. And your seat should be positioned to allow your feet to reach the pedals easily without stretching your legs too much.
Correct Lifting Posture
Never bend at your waist to lift an object from the floor, no matter how light or heavy it is. Bend at your knees with your back straight. Tighten the muscles of your stomach and use your leg muscles to stand up. Make sure your feet are firm on the ground to prevent slipping or falling. If you're lifting an object off the table, pull the object to the edge of the table so that the object is close to your body, and you can easily lift it up. In this case, too, make sure to use your leg muscles to lift the object using your leg muscles while keeping your back straight.
How to Correct Posture?
Posture correction isn't too difficult. You just need to make an active, conscious effort to do it. Thanks to the growing awareness about ergonomics, an increasing number of people are seen working on posture correction.
Below are some ways you can correct your posture:
Sit Up Straight
The first thing you need to do to correct your posture is to start sitting up straight. Use an ergonomic chair instead of a regular chair at work or while working from home. Ergonomic chairs like the Ergonomic office chair promote a healthy posture. These chairs are equipped with features like adjustable height and seat depth and have a flexible backrests. The user can adjust the height of the chair to ensure their feet are placed flat on the floor. Adjustable seat depth allows the user to adjust the depth of the seat so that the buttocks are touching the backrest. The flexible backrest offers support to the natural curvature of the spine. All in all, an ergonomic chair offers superior support and ensures your back, neck, and shoulders aren't strained.
Use an Ergonomic Work Desk
The next thing you need to do to improve your posture is to replace your work desk with an ergonomic workstation. An ergonomic work desk comes with an adjustable height feature to ensure that the height of the desk is suitable for each user. When the work desk is at a suitable height, the user doesn't have to sit with their back curved and shoulders slumped.
Adjust Your Computer Monitor
If your computer monitor isn't placed at the right height and angle, you'll have to bend or raise your head to see the monitor. Ideally, your computer monitor should be at eye level and directly in front of you so that you don't have to tilt your neck, which can cause neck strain. Using an adjustable monitor mount will help you ensure your monitor is at the right height, the right distance from you, and at the right angle. With the monitor adjusted correctly, your posture will improve automatically!
Use a Lumbar Support Pillow While Driving
If you drive over long distances every day, make sure you've got a lumbar support pillow to provide your back adequate support while you're driving. Without the right support, your back will get strained, and you'll experience back pain. Over time, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders will also increase.
Choose the Right Mattress
Sleeping in the wrong posture puts strain on the back, and you wake up with a backache. Not only this, poor sleep at night will affect your mood and productivity throughout the day. To correct your sleeping posture, you need to choose the right mattress. A super-soft mattress sure looks great, but it isn't always the right choice for everyone. If you experience persistent back pain, you should get a firmer mattress to support your back. Also, make sure you aren't using a pillow that's too high or too flat for you.
Avoid High Heels
High heels look classy, without a doubt, but when it comes to posture, they're a no-no. Wearing high heels thrusts the lower back forward, which results in the over-arching of the spine. This results in excessive pressure on the back, and you may experience back pain. Your best bet is to wear soft and comfortable shoes so that the spine's natural curvature isn't disturbed.
Final Word
It's not just the work posture that needs to be corrected, but your posture throughout the day matters. From driving to sleeping, you've got to make sure you're sitting in the correct posture. This discussion might feel overwhelming right now, but once you actively work to correct your posture, you'll start noticing the differences. So, if you haven't given attention to your posture, now's the time!
