Photo by Michael Lorenzo
Despite your mother, or grandmother’s constant nagging about standing up straight, many women are still faced with bad posture. It not only looks bad, but it affects your health in more ways than you think.
Whilst you may think that bad posture is genetic, training your body to walk, sit, lie and stand correctly could result in reduced strain on the supporting muscles, specifically during movement or weight bearing activities such as pumping iron.
There are many things that contribute to bad posture, and you will find that a lot of these are specific to women. Let’s take high heels for example, while they may make you look longer and leaner, high heels are a major contributor to bad posture. Poor sitting styles, such as crossing your legs is another, as well as pregnancy and tight muscles.
Driving can also lead to bad posture. Spending hours sitting incorrectly in traffic is not only frustrating on your time schedule, but your back takes a beating too. According to the British Chiropractic Association, at least 32 000 people each month, visit one of its members, with a back problems linked to driving posture.
According to Tim Hutchfull, from the Association “there is almost twice as much pressure on your back when you are sitting incorrectly than there is if you stand up”.
Here are five things you can do today, in order maintain a healthy back, as recommended by the American Council on Exercise (ACE),
1) Maintain a healthy weight.
Because excess weight creeps up slowly, we gradually become accustomed to the extra weight load. This places additional and unnecessary weight on our structure, which gradually causes pain and discomfort.
2) Strengthen abdominal and core muscles
There has been a lot of talk about core muscles lately. These muscles refer to the abdominal muscles that support the spine – AKA the Transverse Abdominus. This muscle is the deepest of the abdominal muscles and basically wraps around the spine to help keep it supported. By strengthening this muscle you can provide your spine with better support, resulting in less back pain and being less prone to injury.
3) Lift properly
Whenever you have to lift something, be it a ten kilogram dumbbell or a five kilogram baby, always ensure you are standing correctly. Stand close to the object you are lifting, with your feet apart. Squat down, keeping your spine in proper alignment and contract your abdominals as you use your legs to lift.
4) Strengthen your leg muscles
Not only do strong legs look sexy, but they play a vital role in helping your body maintain good posture. Strong legs can help to take some of the work load off the back when you’re lifting heavy objects. Remember to use your body mechanics as a whole and not put all the pressure on your back.
5) Keep flexible
Flexibility is not just for dancers and gymnasts. Flexible hamstrings can help to increase your range of motion in the trunk, reducing your risk of back pain and injury. Enroll in a yoga or pilates class that’s back friendly and always check with the instructor if you are feeling pain or discomfort in the back.
How can you tell if have a perfectly aligned posture?
- Simple, either take a photo of yourself in profile or get someone to check for you.
- Whilst standing, your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle should all be aligned, forming a straight line, with the spine slightly curving into an “S” shape.
- Whilst you are sitting the same applies, however your ear, shoulder and hip should align and your knee and ankle should align.
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