8/31/2024
Maintaining proper posture mitigates tension headaches and neck pain, while preventing injuries of bones and joints. Muscle utilization, core muscle strength, circulation, mood, food digestion, energy, appearance, breathing efficiency (increased lung capacity), fall risk, bone, ligament and joint health improve from healthy posture. Support muscles and ligaments withstand far less stress and energy demands during correct posture.
Maintaining proper posture, stretching daily and practicing abdominal breathing, are ways to practice mindfulness and can turn chores and other forms of physical work into a healthy exercise.
- Stand with the ears centered over the shoulders or collar bones in a vertical line, with your head upright
- The shoulders should be aligned vertically over the hips
- The shoulders should be back and relaxed. The back should be relaxed
- The feet should be flat on the floor with the weight placed on the balls of the feet or heels
- Do not "lock out" your knees or other joints (to improve blood flow and avoid compressive joint stress), keeping them at a slight bend
- Arms are relaxed by the sides and move naturally
- Maintaining posture causes the stomach to retract, making you look thinner
- Keep the shoulders relaxed
- Take short breaks from sitting and switch sitting positions often
- The bend at the knee should be around a 90 degree angle
- Your feet should touch the floor, and remain in front of the knees
- Elbows remain close to your body and are around a 90 degree angle
- Ensure your hips, thighs and back are supported
- Keep the object close to you
- Bend at the hips and knees keeping the back straight
- Do not lift the object from below the mid-thigh, or high above the shoulders
- Keep your head up
Resources:
1. Nair S, Sagar M, Sollers J 3rd, Consedine N, Broadbent E. Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial. Health Psychol. 2015 Jun;34(6):632-41. doi: 10.1037/hea0000146. Epub 2014 Sep 15. PMID: 25222091.
2. Kim KY. The Association between Working Posture and Workers' Depression. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Mar 3;10(3):477. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10030477. PMID: 35326955; PMCID: PMC8954532.
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/08/getting-it-straight#:~:text=Slumped%20posture%20can%20even%20make,says%20NIH%20physical%20therapist%20Dr.
https://medlineplus.gov/guidetogoodposture.html
By: Evan Redmond, Pharm.D.
