Good Posture is More Than Sitting Up Straight

Ever tried to balance a book on your head and walk across the room all in the name of feeling what it’s like to have good posture and body alignment. Easier said than done! Proper posture in everyday activities can surprisingly be physically exhausting. Poor body mechanics will take a serious toll over the course of time with the back, neck and joints going against the way they were supposed to be connected. The ideal alignment of the body is mostly against the force of gravity and goes beyond thinking only about the head and spine, as the pelvis, legs and feet must also be included in the equation.

Proper body alignment is necessary for balance, muscle development and prevention of injury. Misalignment of the human body feels much like having a wheel out of alignment on the car particularly at high speed – you can feel the chatter of the tires on the road and this starts to wear down the moving parts. This is similar to the wear and tear the body experiences when having poor posture, no matter if it’s during sitting, standing or a body in motion. Unfortunately, it’s usually not until pain is evident because of joint soreness or nerve impingement, that one seeks treatment and starts exercises for a misalignment.

Modern living tends to discourage good posture as we sit at our computers, watch television, play endless video games, drive long distances, or wear high heel shoes, but this doesn’t mean that’s the way it has to be. Even the fitness conscious and high performance athletes can have reduced muscle development because of poor posture when at rest, thus affecting their athletic performance. Developing proper postural habits will benefit the body so that no matter if it’s the demands of a normal day’s activities or the load of an exercise or training regime, the body will move effortless without unnecessary strain and trauma.

For more information on the postural alignment of the body, please visit SIRC.