Posture is the position you maintain while sitting standing or lying down. Structure of body is framed on bones skeleton with muscles, ligaments and nerves associated to it. A good posture enables muscles, ligaments and nerves to stay relaxed where as a wrong posture leads to strain in muscles and ligaments putting unnecessary pressure on nerves. This leads to pain in short term but results to major deformations and serious diseases in long run.
Neutral position of our spinal cord is not straight; it is somewhat curvy having a slight ‘S’ shape. So when it is called to maintain a neutral position one must maintain this natural curvy position. Likewise there are neutral positions of arms, legs, chin, etc.
Here we guide you on neutral postures of daily activities which we perform on any normal day.
Correct sitting posture–
- Sit up with your back straight and shoulders back, buttocks should touch the back of your chair.
- Sit at the end of your chair.
- Manage your weight evenly on both the hips.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor; do not cross your legs.
- Try to avoid sitting in same position for more than an hour, this not only prevents your back pain but also breaks the continuity of sitting which is the root cause of modern lifestyle disease as it is said “sitting is new smoking.”
Correct driving posture-
- Use a support to be fitted in your lumber curve. Keep your knees at the same level or higher than your hips.
- Adjust your seat that it should be close enough to allow your knees to bend and your feet reach the pedals.
Correct sleeping posture-
- Select a firm mattress and box that does not sag,
- Try to sleep in position that help to maintain the curve in your back
- A pillow under your knees or on your side with your knees slightly bent.
Correct standing posture-
- Stand tall, hold your head up straight with your chin in.
- Keep your ear lobes in line with the middle of your shoulders.
- Keep your shoulders back, knees and back straight.
- Slightly draw in your core stomach muscles.
- Keep your feet slightly apart, as your shoulder width.
- Let arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
- Stand with weight mostly on the balls of feet, not with weigh on the heels.
Signs of wrong posture
Pain – The in the affected area is gives the first sign of discomfort by pain, and usually one takes a pain killer to subdue it and not go for correcting it.
Numbness – If one experiences numbness in any region of the body it may be because of wrong posture leading to give pressure on nerve associated.
Advantages of good posture
Reduces Pain – Good posture and back support are essential for avoiding neck and back pain as you improve your posture while sitting, standing you will feel a remarkable difference in muscular fatigue and muscle aches.
Prevents onset of other disease – While we adopt a habit of poor posture while doing any activity it exerts pressure on muscles and joints which finally leads to joint pain arthritis spinal disk problems, constricted blood vessels and nerves.
Looking smart – Managing correct posture or avoid slouching helps you to look taller and slimmer, helps in leaving positive first impression, all these add and boost your self-confidence.
Proper breathing – Good posture helps open up the airways and ensures proper breathing, which in turn allows increased supply or flow of oxygen to cardiopulmonary system and entire body which boost them to function more effectively and delayed fatigue.
So as an advice you should take care of posture in whatever you do to lead a healthy life, it will help you to stay fit, fine and relish your life.