Posture Correction: How to Easily Correct Posture Fault
Sitting all day can harm your posture
Is Sitting the new Smoking? We hear constantly about how sitting at a screen is ruining our bodies. But is this true? In today's digital world, maintaining good posture seems to be just another issue to track, like “eating healthy” or exercising strenuously to “torch” those pesky calories, or sleeping in NREM for eight hours nightly, or meditating for 30 minutes daily, or hydrating yourself all the time. So much to track!
According to all the wellness blogs, “spending hours in front of computers ensures that it's easy to fall into habits that can lead to poor posture. Incorporating posture correction into our daily routine is essential for not only preserving our physical appearance but also for profound impacts on our overall health and well-being.” Obviously, with 65% of the U.S. population being obese and the overweight category is adding about 10%, we need to figure out what to do first.
Understanding Posture: Why It Matters
Posture refers to how we hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or lying down. Good posture correctly aligns our body parts, supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity. Without it, we can suffer from various issues, including back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, rounded shoulders, and an unbalanced pelvis—the kingpin of our entire body.
So take a typical body carrying 50 pounds extra. Immediately, we see the positives. First, it is almost impossible to sit with one leg crossed over the other, which is the worst position for the body. Wherever you are – sitting on a subway or in an office or theatre or watching TV – LOOK at the number of people sitting with one leg crossed over the other! We all know about the importance of the CORE which can't align properly if the pelvis is unbalanced. Well, if you sit in this cross position, you are messing up your body. If you are obese, this is not a position you will find comfortable. Finally, one reason that obesity is not all bad! But seriously, this is our default position because it makes one look slimmer. It is ok if you sit this way for five minutes and then uncross and put feet flat on the floor for five and then cross again but the OTHER leg. No one does this even though it works.
Recognizing Poor Posture
Because no one wants to make anyone feel bad and all the celebrities on TV sit with legs crossed, this is NOT in a typical list of how to recognize bad posture. All you read is: slouched shoulders, a forward head position, arched lower back, and bent knees when standing or walking. That’s It Folks!
Again, the starting place is seated posture. There are many props to undo this bad leg crossed habit. But the best is SmartSEAT®.
Strategies for Better Posture
1. Mindful Sitting: When sitting, keep your feet flat on the floor, with your knees at a 90-degree angle. Lengthen your back until it is too tiring (probably in five minutes). Then change position by doing a pelvic tuck which is part of the Cat Cow sequence from YOGA that everyone knows. At some point, twist your upper torso to the right on an INHALATION and then back to the CENTER. Then do the other side. Raise your heels and then lower them. Fidget. Shake. Just do silly movements so you don’t get stuck. And then stand up too!!
2. Standing Tall: While standing, distribute your weight evenly on both feet. Avoid locking your knees and keep your feet about shoulder-width apart. Tuck your stomach in, and keep your head level. Then change it all by bending knees and twisting and lift up on the toes and anything you can do to make standing ACTIVE.
3. Intelligent Exercise: Strengthening and Connecting the Core with Pilates exercises can help you feel better and taller. Many good exercises can be done seated too. If you have a “Wearable” Reformer—the brilliant apparatus patented by Joe Pilates—you can use the bungees to assist in so many core exercises.
4. Posture at Work: If you work at a desk, maybe an ergonomic chair or a standing desk will be beneficial, but still, you need to sit and stand and not choose only one. If you work in a factory or on an assembly line, the best idea is to think of your body feeling weightless and upright, and then it will sense itself and be better. AWARENESS is the best body tool.
The Benefits of Good Posture:
Everyone knows that dancers and actors are consciously projecting their better selves with a focus on posture. Fifty years ago, all models were trained to walk with a book on their head. They needed to walk gracefully. Today, many people practice with a different prop: the 40-inch long Parasetter® which challenges balance and alignment. Obviously, better posture reduces lower back pain, improves breathing, increases energy levels, and enhances appearance. Good posture also positively impacts your mood and self-esteem, projecting confidence and assertiveness.
Professional Help: Look to Alexander Technique®, Feldenkrais® and Pilates Teachers. Using the phone to video the before to give you a visual of the BEFORE will help you get to a better AFTER. Improving your posture happens daily. It requires mindfulness, some physical effort, and a lot of brain activity. The latter is also the best way to “torch” calories, so it is a great two-for-one! Enjoy!
