Here are a few practical tips to use to have the best posture your body can have if you have a sedentary desk type of job. Oh, and don’t forget your standing posture, like the dude below who lost his head eventually.

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. This also is true in a standing posture.

• 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 up 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. ( I wrote more on this in the standing positions blog earlier in May)

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 its use.  Start with 5-10 minutes an hour and work into longer periods of sitting on a ball. Change between a desk chair and a ball!

When standing (applies to with a phone), 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 can I improve my 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.

I hope these tips help!