insideKENT Magazine Issue 34 - January 2015 | Page 69

HEALTH+WELLNESS

THE IMPORTANCE OF

POSTURE

B Y

L I S A M A R I E

L A M B

There is a reason our parents, teachers and elders always told us to stand up straight when we were
growing up, and it’s a shame that once you get to a certain age no one reminds you to do it
anymore. It was all about having the right posture (the alignment and positioning of the body) – a
concept that is vitally important if you are to lead a happy, pain-free life. And since no one tells
grownups to stand up straight and stop slouching, we need to remember to do it for ourselves.
Bad posture such as slouching, walking with our
heads down, and hunching our shoulders when
we sit at our desks means that too much pressure
is being put on our joints and muscles by the
ever-present force of gravity. Good posture can
undo all of the stress and strain by ensuring that
the same force of gravity is evenly distributed
throughout the body, and therefore every part
shares the burden. We cannot escape gravity,
but we can make sure we do our best not to let
it get us down. Literally.
Poor posture isn’t just a case of looking untidy
– it can cause rounded shoulders, back pain and
problems, joint degeneration, and even a potbelly.
So getting the right posture in day-to-day life is
necessary if you want to stay supple and upright
into your old age.
But why do we have poor posture? It really
depends on the habits we form in our everyday
lives – sitting at the wrong-sized desk or in the
wrong-sized chair and typing for hours at a time
is one cause. Staring down at a mobile phone is
another. Even your exercise regime may be
contributing to your bad posture, despite it shifting

those excess pounds. Pregnancy, obesity, and
ill-fitting footwear are also culprits.
Thankfully, bad posture is fairly easy to correct.
Once the habits that cause slouching and
hunching or shuffling are broken, the rest is simply
a matter of re-programming the body to accept
a new way of standing, walking, and sitting. It
may be uncomfortable at first, but once you’ve
cracked it, you’ll immediately notice the difference.
Moreover, until then there are some exercises
you can do to stop the p ainful effects of poor
posture.
STIFF NECK
If you find you have a stiff neck after sitting at a
computer screen all day, or using your phone for
too long, drop your chin down and tuck it in,
stretching the back of your neck. Hold this position
for five seconds and release. Do this 10 times in
a row.
ROUNDED SHOULDERS
Are your shoulders hunched over? If so, it means
that the muscle that spans your shoulders and
back (the trapezius) has been weakened. To fix

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this, lie face down on a hard surface with your
arms out to the side, palms flat to the floor. Raise
both arms as high as you can, squeezing your
shoulder blades together. Hold for a count of five
and drop your arms. Do this 12 times in a row
and repeat up to three times a day.
ELEVATED SHOULDERS
Quite the opposite of having rounded shoulders,
having elevated shoulders makes you feel tense
and tight because your chest muscle (that runs
from ribs to shoulder blades) has been weakened.
To strengthen that muscle again, sit up straight
in a chair and place your hands on your hips,
palms down on the seat next to you. Push down
on the chair until your hips lift up and hold for a
count of five. Repeat 12 times.
Apart from the obvious health benefits to your
spine and joints, having a good posture can help
you to portray a more confident image. It also
allows you to breathe deeper because you're
more open, and improves digestion and
circulation, which can make you look up to five
pounds slimmer!