A To Z of Health – “P” is to Know about the Problems of a Poor Posture

Posture matters and with generations coming in, our body and postures are going in bad shape. Whether while working at the desk or watching television in the couch, we want to have that slouchy comfortable position which is not right.

Awareness about posture is required and as you understand it, you gain a greater awareness about your body as well.  A person with bad posture may begin noticing when their muscles feel tense and become more attuned to misalignments in various areas.

Unfortunately, wrong posture can lead to issues with muscles, back or even walking later in life. 

What is a good posture?

Good posture is a form of fitness where the muscles of the body support the skeleton in an alignment that is stable as well as efficient. This state which is called good posture is present both in stillness and in movement.

Is bad posture self-developed or is it just a habit?

There is no specific definition of poor posture but to explain about it is simple. A bad posture is any habitual, self-imposed positioning that causes physical stress, especially coping poorly with postural challenges. A postural challenge develops when anything that makes it harder to maintain a comfortable posture, such as “work.” 

The best example could be sitting for hours with your knees tucked sharply under your chair while working is a classic example of a poor posture. Humans are naturally allergic to physical stress due to their body structure. Most of us prefer to be comfy and out of laziness we are not able to develop good posture. It requires little effort by the time you become habitual to it and people also naturally tend to keep up their postural fitness for the things they care about. For instance, if you like playing sports, you will take care of your posture while playing.

General tips for a good posture:

• Be aware of posture during activities, such as walking, watching television, and doing chores, standing in the train, sitting in the movie theatre or mere lying down.
• Stay active by taking part in regular exercise like involving cardio, strength training, or stretching or simple warm up exercises.
• Make sure position desks and tables are at the correct height if using them for working or eating.
• Maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight can weaken the abdominal muscles and put stress on the joints and ligaments.
• Wear comfortable, low heeled shoes that have arch support. High heeled shoes or footwear shift a person’s center of gravity, which can put more stress on the muscles and joints, especially in the knees and may develop a pain in joints or harm the knee caps in future.

Over to you

To maintain the right position of the body while sitting, standing, walking and even lying down is important. Good posture can help you keep away from backaches and builds self-confidence. In case you wish to develop a good posture, apart from exercises, you can seek help from a specialist (posturologist) or physiotherapist.