Importance Of Posture

For us as human beings, posture is very important. From the second we learned to walk on two legs, it’s all about keeping upright in the best way.

But how does it affect your health and well-being? To be able to answer this question effectively, we need to look at postural issues from a holistic perspective. What is good for the body is also good for the mind and vice versa.

When looking at posture, we should examine the whole picture and not just concentrate on individual parts of our bodies.

Looking at each part separately would only lead to frustration because posture is affected by multiple factors, such as how we are made, where we live, our daily habits and environment, etc.

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What Do We Mean When Talking About Posture

Posture refers to the way that you hold your body. There are typically two types of postures, dynamic and static. Dynamic is your posture when you’re moving, and static is your posture when you are still.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that posture is just whether or not you sit with a straight back. While that is part of it, there are other factors to think about.

What Is The Importance Of Posture?

Posture is far more important than just how you hold yourself. As we said earlier, what affects the body will affect the mind. In some cases, it can even be the reverse. Our mentality affects our posture.

Those with poor self-esteem may find that they have a very hunched, poor posture.

A healthy body posture allows us to move naturally without feeling pain or discomfort. A relaxed/healthy posture causes us to feel calm and confident despite whatever circumstances we might find ourselves in. It helps us deal with stress better.

Good Posture is essential if we want to achieve anything physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually!

An unhealthy posture can cause back pain, neck ache, headaches, poor circulation, and other problems. Many people spend much of their time working in front of computers all day, which means they’re sitting in an unnatural position.

That’s why poor posture is becoming more and more common.

Posture is all about the position of the spine and the positioning of its three natural curves. There’s one at your neck, mid-back, and low back. There are five different types of posture.

Healthy Posture

A healthy posture typically means that all 3 of your natural spinal curves are in the right place and are not increased. Your head is just above your shoulders, back straight, and you’re not hunching over.

Kyphotic Posture

This is where the second bump along your mid-back has curved and is exaggerated. This is usually caused by excessive hunching and leaning forward.

Flat Back Posture

Typically this is when your lower back becomes a lot flatter, it loses the curve in your spine, which results in your pelvis tipping back.

Swayback Posture

Swayback is the most common posture type leading to lower back pain. It gives the appearance of someone leaning backward while standing.

Forward Head Posture

This is to do with the neck and often causes pain in that area. The neck curve becomes exaggerated from hyperextension.

If you find any of these apply to you, you should aim to see a chiropractor. However, you can do certain everyday things at home to improve your posture independently as well.

How To Improve Posture

Breathing Correctly

When you take deep breaths, your diaphragm fills up and expands your chest. This puts pressure on your ribs and pushes them outwards, slightly lowering your back. If you inhale through the nose, it’ll make your lower back curve.

Exhaling through your mouth will stretch out your ribcage and drop your back down again so it flattens out. Proper breathing has many benefits, including increased energy levels, improved stamina, and giving you a feeling of relaxation, but don’t rush into this just yet!

We’ll cover breathing fully another time (it’ll improve your posture).

Weight Distribution

This refers to how you spread your weight when you walk. Those who tend to stomp often have poor posture because their weight is concentrated on their whole foot rather than their soles.

Relaxed muscles

Letting go of tightness in your upper back, chest, shoulder blades, and abdominals will help create a better posture. A tight posture is a bad posture.

Stretch

You need to ensure your spine is properly aligned before moving on. Get down on your hands and knees to test whether your core is working correctly. Now squat into a position where you can rest your palms on the floor for balance.

Try placing your fingertips directly above your toes without bending your knees or dropping below 90 degrees. See how far you can extend from here without losing your balance; this should give you an idea of how flexible your hamstrings and glutes are.

Remember to be careful when stretching because if you’re overworking your ligaments, they could become torn or inflamed. Follow our guide on stretches to avoid injury.

Exercise

It’s important not only to maintain good posture but also to exercise frequently enough to stay limber. A simple walking routine can help build strength and flexibility throughout your upper back and core. Make sure to walk with the correct posture.

So if you have poor posture, or you’re just looking to improve the way you hold yourself, have a go at some of these to help. Remember, your posture is for the rest of your life, so take care of it!