Why having good posture benefits your overall well-being

Good posture is important to maintain the correct alignment of the body to prevent pain. (Rawpixel pic)

Good posture is not just about standing up straight, it includes the way a person sits, runs and sleeps too.

Here’s a guide to maintaining good posture and the negative effects of poor posture.

The effects of bad posture

When a person slouches or slumps, so does the spine. This can affect blood circulation and cause the vertebrae to deteriorate over time.

Moreover, bad posture can be taxing on muscles and joints. Coupled with the blood circulation issues, it can easily lead to exhaustion and chronic back, neck and shoulder pain, causing headaches and body pains.

Poor posture can also cause herniated discs and even, in the worst case, misalignment of the body that can change the way a person moves and reduce their range of motion.

What causes bad posture?

Bad posture is not a sign of laziness. The most common issue is weight gain as it changes how the skeleton and muscles support themselves.

Other causes include:

• Non-supporting shoes
• Genetics
• Stress
• Accident or injury
• Foot problems
• Low self-esteem
• Poor lumbar support while seated
• A mattress that does not give proper support
• Weak muscles
• Chairs that are too high or too low
• Hunching to get closer to a screen

The importance of good posture

Maintaining good posture helps to realign the body correctly. Here is a quick and easy way to check one’s posture:

• Stand with the back of the head against the wall.
• Place the heels 15 cm from the wall with the buttocks and shoulder blades leaning against the wall. There should be less than 5 cm between the neck or small of the back and the wall. A larger gap indicates bad posture and a curved spine.

When sitting, keep your shoulders back and relaxed. (Rawpixel pic)

Sitting: Do’s

• Keep the head straight and not tilted up or down.
• Keep the shoulders back and try to relax.
• Sit with the knees slightly lower than the hips.
• Keep the feet flat on the floor.

Sitting: Don’ts

• Trying to keep the back ramrod straight.
• Working without support for the arms.
• Tucking the feet under the chair.
• Crossing the legs above the knees – this may cause poor circulation.

When standing, keep the shoulders back and aligned. (Rawpixel pic)

Standing: Do’s

• Keep the shoulders back and aligned.
• Use the stomach muscles to keep the body straighter.
• Slightly bend the knees to ease pressure on the hips.
• Use quality shoes that provide good support.

Standing: Don’ts

• Sticking the chest out. Try to maintain the chest perpendicular to the ground.
• Standing in one position for long periods. Move around and shift the weight.
• Wearing high heels while standing for long periods.

When running, keep your head up and look forward. (Rawpixel pic)

Running: Do’s

• Keep your head up and look forward.
• Keep the arms loose and elbows at a 90º angle.
• Lean forward slightly while running.
• Hit the ground with the midpoint of the foot and roll it forward to the toe.

Running: Don’ts

• Hunching the shoulders while running.
• Bending the waist.
• Lifting the knees too high.

Sleep on a firm mattress that provides good support . (Rawpixel pic)

Sleeping: Do’s

• Use a firm mattress that provides support.
• Minimise spinal curves by using pillows as necessary or upgrading the mattress.
• Stretching before bed eases tense muscles.
• Sleep on the side with a pillow between the legs, against the back, or under the knees for better support.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com

Jobstore is an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals

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