“Stand up straight,” “Sit up straight,” and “Don’t slouch!” are all excellent words of advice, and not just because correct posture helps you to look taller, thinner, and more confident. The role of posture and health in keeping proper alignment of your spine, head, and hips has a number of health benefits.
The term “posture” refers to body position: how you hold yourself when you’re standing, sitting, or lying down. In orthopedics, posture also refers to how your muscles, joints, and skeleton work together to hold you erect (upright).
Posture also includes the position of your body when you’re moving or when you carry out certain physical activities. For example:
Orthopedists care about posture because it affects how you walk, run, and use your body. This is why they look at more than how you hold yourself when you’re sitting or standing still. They also consider your functional patterns — how you carry out regular movements such as lifting your arms, twisting at the waist, or sitting in a chair.
Good posture is straight and symmetrical. It maintains a balance so that your weight is evenly distributed throughout your body. This means different things depending on whether you’re standing, sitting, or lying down.
Good standing posture is neutral, meaning your core (trunk/abdomen), your head, and your pelvis are aligned vertically.
When you stand, your knees are straight and pointed forward, but they are not locked, and your weight is evenly distributed between both feet.
Your shoulders are pulled back but remain low (not up by your ears). In neutral standing posture, your chin should be raised so your head is not tilted down.
This neutral position is optimal because it allows for your muscles to contract properly when you move. Neutral posture also distributes your body weight across your skeleton so as to minimize stress on any particular joint, muscle, tendon, or ligament.
Sitting and lying down, you should also keep your posture as neutral as possible.
You should be sitting with a straight spine, not slumping, and your head should be in neutral position (with your chin up; not with your neck craning forward to see the computer screen).
Supportive chairs, such as ergonomically optimized desk chairs, are a good way to keep a neutral sitting posture at work.
Lying down in bed, you probably have a preference that feels comfortable to you. Most people like to sleep on their sides.
Whichever way you prefer to sleep, be sure to support your neck and shoulders properly with the right pillow. Elongate your body as much as you can by uncurling from the fetal position and stretching out your legs; this position is best for your spine and it prevents putting too much awkward weight or compression on any of your joints or nerves.
If your posture is out of alignment, your muscles need to work harder to contract. This stress can lead to soft tissue injury or excess wear and tear on your joints. These injuries become aches and pains in the short term; in the long term, they may hasten the development of degenerative osteoarthritis.
Good posture is also necessary to protect the health of internal organs like the stomach, kidneys, and GI tract. If you slump excessively, for example, your abdomen compresses, crowding your stomach and intestines and causing digestive problems like acid reflux. Good posture also allows the lungs plenty of room to expand when you breathe.
Bad posture, or poor posture, is a body position that is asymmetrical or non-neutral. For example, if you have an excessively large curve in the lower back (a “swayback,” or lordosis), that is considered poor posture.
Poor posture happens when your daily activities lead to some muscles becoming tight (short) while others become weak (long). This imbalance in muscle strength can pull the body’s position askew.
Some people develop postural problems as the result of illness. However, more often, postural changes result from stress, strain, and day-to-day activities. Posture problems can be caused by:
“Poor posture” isn’t just a matter of occasionally slumping in your chair or letting your shoulders sag when you stand. Over time, daily activities can actually change the curve of your spine or neck, the tilt of your hips, and the position of your head and shoulders.
A few examples of common postural issues:
Posture matters to your health because if your body position deviates from the norm, over time you can develop problems with breathing, mobility, or balance. Poor posture may also impede your ability to grow muscle. This is a particular area of concern for children who are still growing.
Complications caused by bad posture can include:
Over time, bad posture that isn’t corrected can have a ripple effect on the body, creating problems where there were none previously. For example, if you have one shoulder higher than the other (perhaps from carrying a heavy shoulder bag), your back muscles may work to compensate for the load. This can lead to pain and tightness in the back or neck.
Overused muscles can become toned while the other, less frequently used muscles lose strength. This can lead to imbalance, limited function, or pain. Imbalance in particular is a serious issue in older people, who may worry about losing their footing and falling.
An orthopedist can help you by diagnosing your specific problem and prescribing a treatment to correct your posture. Posture can be improved using a variety of different methods, including:
Article written by: Rob Williams, MD