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How to Improve Posture: Six Practical Rules

Melissa Thompson

Posture might not seem that important on a daily basis. How much could the way you sit or stand really matter? As it turns out, bodily posture, particularly supported by the spine is a crucial health matter. Poor posture has been associated with a wide variety of negative health outcomes. It can easily lead to chronic pain, particularly in areas like the lower back.

In general, bad posture will speed age-related changes of the spine and make it harder to appear and function in the healthiest manner. All the more reason to be vigilant and proactive when it comes to your posture. I picked the brain of a well-respected spinal expert, Dr. Jeffrey Gross, MD of SPINE, and he explained the keys to important spinal posture.

Here are six rules for better posture

1. Think often about keeping the alignment between ears, shoulders, and hips. For both standing and sitting, the number one rule for good posture is to have your ears, shoulder, and hips vertically aligned. Thinking this way forces you to move muscles that align the spine more properly, which in turns strengthens the same spinal muscles to keep you there even when you are not thinking about this alignment. This aligned position allows the body to properly distribute pressure along the spinal discs, makes more room for the spinal cord and nerves, and minimizes chronic muscular strain. While the back is actually, naturally curved, the body assumes this curve on its own — you just need to worry about maintaining that up-down line from ears, through shoulders, to hips and let the muscles that do this automatically, get stronger.

2. Use ergonomic seating. It’s almost impossible to maintain proper posture sitting in the wrong chair. The primary function of a good, ergonomic chair is to support the lower back curve I mentioned in the first rule thereby facilitating this natural curve found in the lumbar spine. Otherwise, slumping is likely, and the lumbar curve will flatten out, leading to misalignment and deficiencies and deformities of posture. Besides lumbar support, an ergonomic chair should be comfortable enough for long periods of sitting. And should allow the feet to rest flat on the floor with the knees bent at a 90° angle.

3. Get up and move!! The longer you stay in one position, the harder it will be to retain proper posture. Muscles will grow tired and complacent, and you may fall back into old, bad habits. Getting up every hour or so allows strained muscles to relax. Just stand up, walk around a bit, and stretch a little. Remember, sitting all day is not healthy. The body was meant to move — which is why regular exercise is also important to good posture.

4. Watch for pain. Certain kinds of pain can be a warning sign of bad posture. The most common areas for posture-related pain are in the lower back and neck. Pain that radiates downward from the neck can be a result of bad posture. A major indicator that posture is the problem is pain that comes and goes with that poor positioning and is improved in good posture. Test this out!

5. Set up your workspace properly. It’s virtually impossible to maintain good posture if your computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse are not where they should be. If you have to crane your neck or hold your arms too far forward, your posture will suffer. You want the upper portion of your monitor to be at roughly eye level, 18 to 24 inches away. Place your keyboard and mouse so that they can be easily reached with your elbows at a 90° angle. Alternatively, you may want to consider a standing desk, which eliminates the posture issues posed by sitting.

6. Practice good standing posture. While bad seated posture is the biggest problem in the modern world, posture when standing, walking, and running is also important. The same basic principles still apply: the ears, neck, and hips should be in vertical alignment. Stand up straight with your chin tucked in and shoulder back. Don’t crane your neck downward, which has become a major problem with the advent of smart phones. Move your eyes instead of your head. Finally, avoid regularly wearing high heels, which make proper posture problematic.

The human body is constantly being put under strain even when just sitting. That’s unavoidable. The natural effects of gravity and various kinds of physical exertion all place stress on the body and its parts. However, it is possible and recommended to minimize the amount of strain and pressure the body experiences. That’s what good posture is all about.