You must have been told from a young age that you should sit up straight, but why? Of course, posture is very important for your appearance, but there are also health reasons why you should not slouch when sitting or walking.
The way our body performs its functions depends on the position of the spine, and posture can potentially affect the way we think. Therefore, you should keep in mind that posture does not only affect the muscles and vertebrae, but also affects most of the body's systems, including breathing, circulation, and other functions.
Good posture gives the body the required framework, so it can function in a balanced way. E.g. if you keep your head tilted too far forward it will create tension and can reduce the flow of oxygen to the brain, which significantly reduces bodily functions.
If you stand tall, others will see you as a confident person, and over time, you too will start thinking about yourself that way. It is also very important to have proper posture during physical activity, which is why it is crucial to learn proper technique if you are starting a new activity or performing new exercises. Bad technique is much harder to correct.
Also, in this way, you will reduce the possibility of injuries and improve the performance of exercises. In any case, most people don't exercise, so good posture is very important in all situations. Therefore, while sitting, standing or walking, pay attention to your posture, because minor back pains can very easily turn into chronic ones and cause you really big problems.
Humans were not designed to be able to sit as much as modern life and the way of working requires today. You should be walking, standing and moving and generally making more body movements than we are currently used to. However, with good posture, it is possible to correct the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
Good posture while sitting
- Straighten up and look for support in a comfortable chair, so it's better to lean back slightly, rather than forward. The body should make an angle between 90 and 120 degrees.
- Circle your shoulders back, straighten them and pull them down.
- Pull your chin back, it should be parallel to the floor.
Standing
If necessary, practice upright posture while standing in front of a mirror. The most important are the feet. The weight of the body should be properly distributed between the toes and the heel.
The imaginary line between the two ears, chin and shoulders should be parallel to the floor. Pull in your abdominal muscles and straighten your lower back.
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