Our days now, thanks to quarantine and working from home, are restricted to spending time at home with our gadgets as a company. Most of us either sit on a chair or the sofa while browsing on our phones or laptops unaware of how we are sitting.
The only time we become aware of our position is when we begin to feel uncomfortable or feel an ache at a particular part of our body. By then, it is too late as we have pulled some muscle. Most of us are constantly conducting a google search on "How to have a good posture?" or "How to fix a bad posture?"
But before we jump into finding answers for the same, one needs to understand what exactly posture is?
Posture is the foundation for every movement that your body makes. In other words, it is how you carry yourself physically throughout your day-to-day activities.
So what then would be considered as having a good posture?
A good posture refers to the precise positioning of multiple body parts at the same time while performing different activities both while standing and sitting.
Here are four steps to building a good posture:
Become aware of your posture as you stand and sit while watching television, reading a book, working on your laptop or simply having dinner at the table. Becoming aware of what is wrong with your posture will help you find the right way to get a good posture. Get aware of your posture and work on the tight muscles that may be in your body to improve the length; this improves good posture.
Now that you are aware of your posture every moment as you carry out your day-to-day activities bring in small changes to your posture. These changes could be in terms of sitting and standing straight, sitting on an ergonomic chair with your chin parallel to the floor, balancing the weight of your body equally on both legs, maintaining your lumbar arch, holding shoulders back with chest out, etc.
Even as you make these small changes in your life to sit upright and keep your posture erect, remember that your years of slouching before have tightened muscles of your body. This will further prevent you from sitting comfortably in a good posture for a long time.
Work on releasing tight muscles, strengthening and balancing of opposite muscle groups as well as improving core strength. Furthermore, work on building back, pelvic floor and abdominal muscles since they can do wonders in building good posture.
You can learn the tricks of doing something but can only master it once you've practised it a million times. Get conscious of how you are sitting or standing to correct your mistakes the moment it is taking place.
Although it can be difficult initially: the process of being in constant awareness of how one is sitting and standing, it is definitely a habit worth developing and one that will save you lots of agony and trips to the doctor. A bad posture leads to looking bad, in general. Your posture adds plenty to your body language. Given the specifics, you can learn your posture. If your posture doesn't match with the specifics, there's nothing to worry about. You can fix it, and we have you covered.
Morihei Ueshiba, a great Japanese Martial Artist, once said, "A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind. " Acquiring a good posture is associated with your subconscious. You don't have to think in what manner to stand or sit when you're asked to or want to. Therefore, one must consciously adopt the correct ergonomic principles while performing household tasks as well as work and leisure activities.
If you are still having trouble in understanding how to go about getting a good posture, sign up here for personalised consultations with our Posture Therapist.