Posture is more important than you might think. Standing and sitting up straight have long been pieces of advice given to us by our parents and teachers, but many of us don’t even understand why it’s such a huge deal.
Posture is basically what affects the alignment of our body. In other words, it’s how we’re supposed to stand or sit so that we don’t suffer from long-term pain or ill effects. Remember that gravity is constantly pulling us down, so we need to sit and stand in a way that compliments the forces. A good posture can make you seem more confident and it can even have health implications, such as making breathing easier. It also tends to improve your circulation and can even help your muscles and joints.
But how do we know if we’re violating the laws of good posture? Here are five signs that you’re probably going to need a few sessions of physiotherapy before you can finally fix your posture. Just remember that these are common signs of bad posture so don’t be too embarrassed if you suffer from any of them!
Lifting by using your back
A common issue that affects many of us. If you do the occasional bit of heavy lifting and you don’t bend your knees, then you’re putting a ridiculous amount of strain on your back and spinal muscles. If you lift something heavy like this, then you’re going to injure your back sooner or later!
Arching your back when carrying heavy bags
We’ve all had to carry heavy bags at some point in our lives and it’s not exactly the most pleasant thing in the world. However, what makes it even worse is when they’re so heavy that it puts weight on our body and we naturally arch forward just to hold the bags up. If this is happening to you then you’ll want to lessen the weight on the bags one way or another to lessen the pressure. You may benefit from sessions at the gym if you find it difficult to support heavy bags. For now, try and avoid heavy lifting as often as possible.
Slouching your desk
If you ever feel lazy enough to slouch back in your chair, then there’s a good chance that you’re putting a heavy strain on your muscles. If you sit in a slouched position for too long then it can start to affect your spine and cause you great discomfort. It might be comfortable for short periods of time, but do it for too long and it will start to affect your natural seated position.
Leaning against a leg
If you find yourself leaning against one leg when standing up, then it might be because you find it more comfortable than just standing up straight with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Sadly, the excess pressure you put on one leg is going to eventually cause pain around your pelvis area. This pain can then extend to the lower back and your uneven hips will stand out.
Looking over your keyboard
If you find yourself hunched down staring at your keyboard as you type or looking at your phone as you text, then it could be the early symptoms of a weak upper back. Avoid bending your neck to look directly down at your keyboard or any other device if possible.
