Good Posture
This blog post is a simple check-list to run through to improve your sitting posture, walking postures and lifting posture. With more people working from home, it is vital to your physical well-being to make small adjustments to make your kitchen table worksite more ergonomic.
Good Posture When Sitting
Ear lined up with shoulder – your head is on top of your spine, not out in front of it stressing your musculoskeletal system. Shoulders relaxed and not elevated
Eyes looking slightly downward without bending from the neck, screen is 20-28” away with a 10-20 degree monitor tilt (applies to a standing desk as well)
Elbows are bent to 90 degrees. Forearms and wrists are straight/neutral to keep carpal tunnel open
Hips bent to 90-110 degrees; your pelvis/hips should not be lower than your knees but can be higher
Knees are bent to 90 degrees
Feet flat on the floor or fully on a riser/footrest to prevent an over arched back
Backrest of the chair should support the natural curves of the back
Modifications:
If standing, have a book or footrest on the floor to alternate putting your foot on. Slightly changing the standing posture and weight shifting. Although standing is a nice change for your body, standing in one place is not recommended for long periods of time.
You can also change up sitting posture with a physioball or ball chair. The ball increase core use and should be rotated in with a stationary chair when first starting it’s use. Start with 5-10 minutes an hour and work into longer periods of sitting on a ball.
Good Posture When Standing, Walking and Lifting
Neutral neck, head is over the spine
Shoulders are relaxed and balanced. The ear is in line with the shoulder
Gaze is straight ahead
Pelvis is in neutral, abdominal muscles are engaged
Overall Shoulders, hips and ankles are in line if looking at yourself turned to the side
How to improve posture?
Set a reminder to check your posture. Many of us may have the intention to keep a good posture, but we usually forget about it after like 5 minutes. A simple reminder on a calendar, phone alarm or sticky note in a place you frequent (the bathroom mirror for example) can help. The frequency that you check your posture is up to you, once a day, once an hour, a few times a day. With sufficient reminders, you can remember to sit up taller, walk upright and stretch out your body. Of course, stretches and strengthening will help correct severe postural adaptions, but usually we just need that reminder to get started with better posture.
A few other reminders to enhance posture:
Breathe deeply, this will keep your posture upright, you cannot fully inhale in a slumped position. Deep breathing helps us refocus and reduces anxious moments
Drink water and stay hydrated, this keeps your discs plump!
Stretch – open up the front of your body by stretching your shoulders (bring your arms out like a T and stand at a wall), chest (bring your arms behind your back and roll your shoulders down and back), hip flexors (lay on your belly, or stand in a lunge position holding onto something for balance)
Check in with your body, where are you tight? Do you hold tension in your neck, upper traps, jaw or fingers? Do a body scan and relax the clenched muscles
Be kind to yourself – get up and move, change positions often. If you have been sitting, stand up. If you have been standing, take a walk. If you have been sedentary do deep breathing and some stretches to reverse the posture you have been in.
Look up to the sky! We spend so much time looking down…open the body and stand tall!
Strengthen – if you have a hard time holding good posture, do exercises to strengthen your body to increase muscle mass.
If you’d like more help with your posture and a injury prevention workout to strengthen it; please email me at Janelleb.Baldwin@SoulistWell-Being.com. I’d love to help!