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Maintain Correct Posture

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What is correct posture?

Posture is the position you maintain – essentially how you hold your body. Dynamic posture is how you hold yourself when you are moving, like when you are walking, running or bend over to pick up something. Static posture is how you hold yourself when you are not moving, like when you are standing, sitting, or sleeping.

You have correct posture when your position creates the least amount of strain on supporting muscles, ligaments and joints whilst standing, sitting, lying down or doing any other activity. The key to correct posture is the position of your spine. Your spine has three natural curves – at your neck, mid back, and low back. Correct posture should maintain these curves, but not increase them. Your head should be above your shoulders, and the top of your shoulder should be over the hips.

Correct posture not so common

As kids we are often taught and reminded of the importance of correct posture, however as we age we are less mindful of our posture (low postural awareness). Unfortunately, we live in a forward-leaning society – spending much of our time sitting – either in the car, on the train, at work on our desks all day, at school, on the couch or glued to our smartphones. The result being that most of us have poor or incorrect posture.

Why is having correct posture important?

Correct posture…

*Decreases your chance of injury, muscle pain and other problems – by keeping your bones and joints in proper alignment, decreasing joint compression and allowing you to use your muscles more efficiently. This prevents muscle aches/strain and fatigue/overuse and is essential for avoiding neck, back and shoulder pain including headaches, as well as arthritis, spinal/disk problems and constricted blood vessels and nerves, as well as tendonitis and bone spurs. Good posture also increases your balance and decreases your chance of falling.

*Increases oxygen and helps all bodily systems to operate smoothly – breath is life, and good posture helps to open the airways and ensure proper breathing. Proper breathing allows enhanced oxygen flow to the nervous system, organs and other tissues, so that they all function effectively.

*Decreases stress and better mood – poor posture creates unnecessary stress and strains your body including your spine, which can make you feel heavy, achy, tired and irritable. It also decreases your digestion which is linked to your mood – did you know that more endorphins can be released from your gut than your brain? All of these things combined often lead to increased stress, anxiety and depression. Good posture on the other hand, stimulates physiological arousal, such as a spike in blood pressure, and triggers a coping response to stress. The result is increased resilience and better mood. This is common sense really, given that the body follows the mind, and the mind follows the body. Try it now – adopt a depressed mind-state by thinking of something that gets you down, and see what happens to your body. Now do the opposite with a super excited mind-state – what happens? Your body follows your mind, so you go from a closed posture to an open one. Next time you want to kick your negative mood, start with fixing your posture first.

*Helps you look and feel good – maintaining good posture helps increase your physical appearance because by avoiding slouching, you look taller, slimmer and stronger. The result being a more attractive, more comfortable and more confident you.

How can you improve your posture?

Here are a few of the best ways to improve your posture:

*Stay active: All types of exercise generally help to improve posture, but some are especially beneficial. This includes exercise such as weight training, yoga, pilates, as well as any other movement which focuses on body awareness. Cardiovascular exercise such as rowing and swimming can also be beneficial. Regardless of what type of exercise you do, always ensure to include exercises which strengthen your core (muscles around your back, abdomen, and pelvis) as these play an essential role in the maintenance of good posture.

*Stretch more: This goes hand in hand with staying active, but stretching is of paramount importance when it comes to having great posture. Try to stretch for at least 5-10 minutes per day or more, on most days of the week. If you do activities such as yoga and pilates, stretching is already built in. It’s also a good idea to get a massage every so often, because sometimes no amount of stretching can release locked up or worn out muscles. Besides, it’s wonderful for total body rejuvenation including mental stress release too.

*Maintain a healthy weight: Excess fat can weaken your abdominal muscles, cause problems for your pelvis and spine, and contribute to low back pain, sore hips, knees and anything else. All of these can hurt your posture, so if you are overweight, then losing weight may be the best thing you can do to fix your posture.

*Sleep on your side: The best position to sleep on is usually on your side, with a well-supported pillow for your head, and an additional pillow down by your side to support the leg not resting on the mattress. Not only is it better for your posture, but it is also better for your breathing and digestion too – particularly if you lie on your left side. Sleeping on your back is not advised, however sleeping on your stomach does the most damage to your posture – putting strain on the muscles of the head, neck, jaw and can also put out your lower back and pelvis.

*Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes: High heels, can tighten your calves, throw off your balance and force you to change your gait/walk differently. This puts more stress on your muscles and can damage your posture.

*Be mindful of your posture: Be mindful of your posture during everyday activities, like watching television, eating dinner, or walking. The more aware of your posture you are, the more quickly it improves.

*Sit Properly: Some things we can do to improve the way we sit include:

Don’t sit for too long – it’s called the 20-10 rule… Sit for 20min, stand for 8min and walk for 2. You can also gently stretch your muscles to help relieve muscle tension at the same time.
Make sure that your feet touch the floor – if this is not possible, use a footrest.
Don’t cross your legs – instead, keep your feet on the floor, with your ankles in front of your knees.
Make sure that your back is fully supported – use a back pillow or other back support if your chair does not have a backrest that can support your lower back’s curve (either a small rolled up towel, or commercial product).
Change the way you sit – a great way to do this throughout the day, is to try to alternate your chair with a fit-ball to activate your core/postural muscles and prevent them from wasting away. This could be for an hour in the morning and then again in the afternoon. You can also perform simple strength movements like balancing on one leg and figures 8’s as you sit. You just need to ensure that you choose the right size ball so that your thighs and hips are parallel to the floor or that your hips are slightly higher (<145cm tall = 45cm ball, 140-165cm = 55cm ball, 165-195cm = 65cm ball, >195cm = 85cm ball).
Relax your shoulders – instead of rounding your shoulders, gently pull them back, whilst at the same time keeping them relaxed/depressed.
Keep your elbows close to your body – they should be bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
Make sure that your thighs and hips are supported – you should have a well-padded seat, and your thighs and hips should be parallel to the floor. You may need a footrest to keep your hips and knees level.
Setup your computer screen correctly – instead of adjusting your posture to suit the position of our computer screen, adjust the screen itself so that the centre of it sits at eye-level.

*Improve the way you stand:

Stand up straight and tall – keep your shoulders back but relaxed with your head level.
Pull your stomach in – activate your core and let your arms hang down naturally by your sides.
Put slightly more weight on the balls of your feet – rather than on your heels, whilst ensuring that your knees don’t buckle in/no knock-knees.
Keep your feet about shoulder width apart – and facing straight ahead to avoid internally or externally rotating the hips.
When using a standing desk – position the screen so that the centre of it is at eye-level just like sitting posture.

Where to get help

If you need further help with achieving better posture, then consult your local Personal Trainer, Exercise Scientist/Physiologist, Osteopath, Physiotherapist or Chiropractor. Things like the Alexander Technique are also excellent, otherwise you can speak to your Doctor who can put you into contact with someone who can help.

Q.Do you have poor posture and if so, then what things will you start doing to improve it?

Rob

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July 20, 2018 0 comment

WHAT YOU CHEW RECENT POSTS

Drink Less Alcohol

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For the most part, Australians have a positive relationship with alcohol. The majority of us drink moderately, and enjoy having a drink to relax and enjoy a meal with family and friends. However, there are those who have a more negative relationship with alcohol – consuming too much and too often.

Whilst we are aware of the risks associated with heavy alcohol use, we are largely unaware of the risks associated with moderate alcohol use. In-fact, there is an assumption that moderate use is actually good for our health. How many times have you heard that a glass of red wine is good for your heart? Yet the research behind these findings is weak at best, therefore the benefits of drinking alcohol in relation to our health have been massively exaggerated, especially when there is strong research to suggest that moderate alcohol use is not risk-free. In other words, no amount of alcohol is really safe, which is why the World Health Organisation has declared alcohol as a class 1 carcinogen.

What are the health risks?

Alcohol affects every body differently, depending upon your genetics, your diet, your gender, and your habits. Some of the risks associated with alcohol consumption include;

*Depression & Anxiety: Alcohol changes the balance of chemicals that help your brain to think, feel, create and make decisions. Alcohol can cause symptoms of depression and/or anxiety or make an existing problem worse.

*Poor Sleep: Ever had a couple of drinks only to find yourself lying awake in the early hours of the morning? If so then this is a rebound effect. While alcohol is a sedative, and its initial effect is to sedate, when this wears off, there is a rebound stimulant effect.

*Weight Gain: A standard drink has around 80 calories. Research shows that most people who drink a glass of wine at home often pour double that amount into a single glass. That adds up if you’re having a glass most days of the week and is a large contributor to the obesity epidemic (our nation’s biggest issue).

*Long-term health problems: Alcohol can cause liver cirrhosis, fatty liver, hepatitis, brain damage, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even cancer. In-fact the list of cancers caused by alcohol is growing, and includes anything which alcohol touches – cancer of the mouth, upper throat, larynx, oesophagus, breast, liver, stomach, colon and rectum. Alcohol is also a likely cause for skin, pancreatic, and prostate cancer.

Tips for drinking less:

There are many ways to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume. Some include;

*Don’t drink if you don’t want to: Drinking alcohol is part of the Australian culture, so it can be a difficult decision to be a non-drinker. However choosing not to drink is your decision, and one that should be supported. You shouldn’t feel the need to make excuses or justify your decision to anyone. Remember you can still have fun without alcohol. If you have teenage kids then this is also a great opportunity to let them know that there are other alternatives and that alcohol doesn’t have to be part of every social gathering. And that’s because teenagers often look to their parents and other adults as role models to help them develop socially acceptable attitudes and behaviours.

*Start with non-alcoholic drinks and alternate with alcoholic drinks: Choose non-alcoholic drinks instead, or even alternate between the two. You can even water down alcoholic drinks like wine with soda water. Also if you participate in rounds of drinks try to include some non-alcoholic drinks.

*Set limits for yourself and stick to them: If you are planning on drinking, then ensure to set a limit to how much you will drink and then stick to it. According to the national guidelines, if you are healthy then this should include no more than two standard drinks on any day. What is a standard drink? A standard drink is any drink containing 10 grams of alcohol. One standard drink always contains the same amount of alcohol regardless of the alcohol type. For example:

Can/Stubbie mid-strength beer ≈ 1 standard drink
100ml wine (13.5% alcohol) ≈ 1 standard drink
30ml nip spirits ≈ 1 standard drink
Can spirits (approx 5-7% alcohol) ≈ 1.2 to 2.4 standard drinks

*Aim to have more alcohol free periods: The more often you drink, the less of an affect alcohol has on you. Because of this, it becomes much easier to binge drink during social occasions in order for alcohol to provide you with the affect your after. So if you’re a regular drinker, then try to limit drinking to Friday and Saturday nights only. It may also be a good idea to stop drinking for a couple weeks, or even a month, so you can have a clean slate and then reintroduce alcohol more intentionally.

*Decide what you want more; Alcohol or a lean body: A standard glass of wine takes about half an hour of walking to burn off. Drink two standard glasses and you need to walk for an hour. This is just to burn of what you drink, not to lose weight. So if you’re trying to lose weight (which almost 75% of Australian’s need to do), then you probably need to stop drinking alcohol altogether. Remember, if you booze, then you don’t lose.

*Drink mindfully: If you are going to drink alcohol then take the time to smell, taste and fully experience it, with the goal of staying present. Not only will you enjoy it more (meaning you will need less to satisfy you), but you will also begin to shine a valuable light on any bad habits you may have around alcohol. You will become more mindful of your decisions and where they might lead… Do I really need that next drink? Why am I drinking? Is there anything else that will satisfy me instead of alcohol? Do I really want to end up hungover the next day? Once you become more mindful of any potential negative or simply habitual behaviours around alcohol, then you can more easily eliminate them. For example, if you notice that you mostly drink in the evening to relax and unwind from a stressful day, then what other, more healthy options could you use to de-stress? This could something as simple as running a salt bath, losing yourself in a great book or something else. The more mindfully you drink, the healthier your relationship with alcohol will become.

At the end of the day, there are very few benefits of drinking alcohol other than for the flavour itself, and for helping you to feel more relaxed, which is perfectly ok when done occasionally. However, if you are like the vast majority of Australians who already have health issues including needing to lose weight, then alcohol is not doing you many favours. The less you drink, the greater your chances are of reversing any health issues associated with alcohol.

If you or someone you know needs support and treatment to reduce your alcohol intake, you should contact either your doctor or call your state alcohol helpline.