Dynamic posture is how you hold yourself while you are moving and static posture is how you hold yourself when you are not moving. Regardless of what people might say or do, poor posture can become a really big pain if it isn’t already. Good posture must become a habit and studies conclude that it takes 3-10 weeks to establish a routine, so yalla start from now and see the difference within a month.
When you are using ideal posture your diaphragm works more efficiently, making it easier to breathe and providing an ideal flow of oxygen to your body. The key to starting to correct your posture and alignment is getting your alignment right. Your ears, neck, core, and hips should all be connected by an imaginary straight and vertical line down your body. If you need help, stand against the wall and look into a mirror. As I mentioned earlier, you must be mindful of your posture during all motions and activities. You also have to strengthen and stretch the muscles in your upper back, chest, and core to help support your good posture. So why take all this seriously? Poor posture causes the following:
1. Misaligns your bones and muscles and erodes tissue.
2. Causes severe neck, shoulder and back pain.
3. Makes your spine fragile and more prone to injury.
4. Decreases your flexibility and joint health.
5. Impairs your balance and increases the risk of falling.
6. Makes it harder to digest your food and/or breathe.
7. Be a source for more stress and tension in your life.
So how can you maintain good posture?
1. Stay active, workout and focus on body awareness. Work on your core strength. Good posture also plays a critical role in proper form and technique while being active so it’s a win-win situation.
2. Maintain a healthy weight as an unhealthy weight can increase lower back pain.
3. High heels add stress on your muscles and changes your body alignment so leave those for special occasions.
4. Make sure work surfaces such as offices and dining tables are at a comfortable height.
How about improving your posture while seated?
1. Switch sitting positions often.
2. Gently stretch your muscles every few hours to help relieve pain and muscle tension.
3. Keep moving and take brief walks.
4. Gently stretch your muscles every few hours to help relieve muscle tension.
5. Don’t cross your legs and keep your feet on the floor with your ankles and toes in front of your knees.
6. Make sure that your feet touch the floor or use a footrest.
7. Put your spine in a neutral position without overemphasising the curve in your lower back.
8. Relax your shoulders; they should not be rounded forward or pulled backwards.
9. Make sure that your back, things and hips are fully supported; use some form of back support and seat comforter to keep your thighs and hips parallel to the floor.
10. Evenly distribute your weight on both feet.
11. Keep your chin parallel to the floor, your shoulders, hips, and knees at even heights, and your knees and feet pointing straight ahead.
And how about while standing?
1. Stand up straight and tall.
2. Keep your head level.
3. Keep your shoulders back.
4. Pull your stomach in.
5. Hang your arms down naturally at your sides.
6. Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
7. Put your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
Not only does good posture help improve your physical health, the rewards are felt all over. Your stress and tension levels are guaranteed to decrease and your self-esteem and self-confidence increase, especially how others perceive you. So stand tall and stay strong!
* The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.
