Written by: Viktoria Hogan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
A good posture is something that many of us strive to have, or at least are told that we should have. Not only does it show a certain level of confidence, but it also has health benefits. There are plenty of different “posture-correcting” gadgets out there that say they will give you your perfect posture – but are they your best options?
Why posture is important
Having good posture can help reduce back pain and strain on your neck, which is common if you work at a computer for hours every day. Keeping an upright posture can help you keep your spine healthy. Loading your spine incorrectly can cause injuries, either acute or long-term conditions (for example osteoarthritis).
Having good posture can also help you breathe properly and aid in digestion as well as enhance your confidence. There is a reason the “superman-pose” is confidence-boosting. Studies show that good posture can put you in a better mood. Being able to sit or stand upright helps your lungs be able to expand more, which in turn helps you breathe easier. The upright, confident position also gives you more empowering thoughts, while if you are sitting with a rounded, slouched back, it is easier to think negatively, studies show.
Having poor posture, on the other hand, can lead to several problems. If you slouch or sit with your back curved excessively, shoulders rounded and your neck forward while looking at a computer, this could contribute to stiffening of your shoulders and neck which in turn can cause headaches. Having a poor posture while moving can also put you at a higher risk of injuries. For example, if you workout with poor posture (e.g., doing a bent-over row with a rounded back) you not only risk injuring yourself because of the poor form, but you are also strengthening the imbalances that you may wish to get rid of.
Different types of postures
There are a few different types of postures. Besides categorizing them into static and dynamic postures (static being when you are sitting, lying, or standing still, dynamic being when you are moving), there are certain categories you can fall into for static posture deviations. One of them is called kyphosis, which means that your upper back is curved more than normal. Sway back posture is another one that has a higher level of a curve in your upper back, but also a decreased curve in your lumbar spine (lower back). Lordosis means that you have a higher degree of an arch in your lower back and a flat back means you have less of an arch than what is normal (flat back).
So how do you know what is normal? Good posture is when your ears align over your shoulders, you are not leaning towards one side, your shoulders are down and back, your feet are shoulder width apart and you have an even distribution of your body weight. You should, however, have some curves in your spine. One by your neck (cervical spine), one at your upper back (thoracic spine), and one in your lower back (lumbar spine). If you look from the side, your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and the bone on your ankle should all align.
Some posture-correcting gadgets
There are several gadgets out there that are supposed to help your posture. Two of these include different types of “braces” or technology that you put in your thoracic spine to remind you to sit up straight. As helpful as these are to remind you to sit up straight or stop slouching unless you use it all the time, the best way of improving your posture is by doing exercises and learning how to sit, stand, and lie correctly. This can take time and effort, especially if you have had poor posture for most of your life. However, the benefits of correcting it outweigh the effort needed to correct it.
Another issue with these gadgets, especially the brace options, is that they trick your body into thinking that you will always have this support. For example, if you are using a brace that pulls back your shoulders when you wear it, your back muscles, which are in charge of keeping your shoulders back and down, will rely on the brace and become weaker, thinking that they don’t need to keep your shoulders back anymore. This weakness will put you at a higher injury risk anytime you don’t wear the brace as well as making it even harder to keep good posture without it.
What to do about it
What to do is determined by what imbalance you have, but here are a few examples for each deviation:
Lordosis: Could be temporary (e.g. women later in their pregnancies) or permanent. An individual with large amounts of abdominal fat will likely have a lordosis posture due to the front weight. If this posture stays for a longer period (weeks or more), back extensors and hip flexors will shorten while hamstrings and abdominal muscles will lengthen. To fix this, you must strengthen the hamstrings and abdominal muscles while stretching hip flexors and spine extensors.
A few good exercises would be hamstring curls (on a machine, with a dumbbell, or with TRX) that isolate the hamstrings, as well as Pallof presses (standing sideways to a cable or attached resistance bands, then pressing away from the body without rotating the hips) and stability ball rollouts (elbow plank position on a Pilates ball where you roll the ball away from you and then back in) for your core. To stretch your hip flexors, come into a half kneel and tuck your pelvis, then shoot your hips forward. A child’s pose would be a good option for your spine extensors.
Kyphosis: Kyphosis is common in the older population and often if you have osteoporosis. Other contributing factors include sitting in front of a computer, having overdeveloped chest muscles, and a lack of strength in back muscles. Therefore, some exercises that might help are reverse fly, a prone overhead press, banded pull-apart, and similar exercises that target the trapezius and rhomboids. Stretching and using a lacrosse ball the chest muscles can help open up the front. Standing about 6 inches away from a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart, leaning your back against the wall, and trying to slide your arms along the wall up overhead, could also help both the mobility of your chest muscles, but also strengthening your back muscles.
Flat back: Shortened muscles in a flat back position often include neck extensors, upper back muscles, and abdominal muscles. Leaning your head diagonally downward can help loosen up your neck extensors. In this posture deviation, lengthened muscles include your hip flexor, internal obliques, lower back muscles, and neck flexors. Sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your hands behind your back, lifting one leg straight up at a time can help strengthen your hip flexors while the Pallof press can help strengthen the obliques. The Superman exercise where you lay on your stomach and lift your upper body off the floor can help strengthen your lower back muscles while laying on your back and lifting just your head straight up helps strengthen your neck flexors.
Sway back: Sway back posture often includes kyphosis so similar exercises for the upper region would be appropriate as is also re-learning a proper pelvic tilt. Laying down on your back with your knees bent and working on tilting the pelvis could be helpful, although working with a professional might yield better results. Hamstrings and neck extensors tend to be tight while obliques and hip flexors tend to be lengthened. To lengthen your hamstrings, elevate one foot and lean into the leg with your back straight. As with the flat-back posture, leaning your head diagonally downward can help loosen up your neck extensors, while performing straight leg lifts and Pallof presses can help strengthen hip flexors and your core.
Do you have a hard time visualizing these exercises? Check out my YouTube video where I show you all these exercises.
Conclusion
It can be hard to correct your posture and using a gadget may seem like the easier option. However, I hope that after reading this article you will take another second to think about the benefits of actually improving your posture. A tip is to move around now and then if you are static for a longer time. Another way to improve your posture is to practice it. If you work at a desk all day, practice sitting up in a correct way. If you are standing for longer periods, make sure you are not arching your lower back. Perhaps set an alarm on your phone or watch to remind you.
If you have any questions or want more info on how to perform these exercises, don’t hesitate to reach out to me via the contact form on the website or through social media at @toritraining.official.
It is important to note that if you sit with a hunched back or stand with an arched back for extended periods, the spine could adapt to the posture and make it irreversible, which will lead to more difficult consequences. The exercises above are only helpful if the soft tissue is the reason for your posture deviations. If you are unable to correct your posture or suspect that it is not a soft tissue issue, contact your doctor for more help.
Viktoria Hogan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Viktoria Hogan is a personal trainer and online nutrition coach who runs Tori Training, an online solution to your health and fitness goals. She lives in the U.S., but is originally from Sweden. She played soccer up through college and has always had a passion for training and nutrition. As a trainer since the beginning of 2020, she has trained a multitude of clients and gained several specialization certifications within her field. Her main mission is to improve people's quality of life.
References:
American Council on Exercise (ACE). (2014). ACE Personal Trainer Manual (5th ed.).
American Council on Exercise (ACE). (2011). Essentials of Exercise Science for Fitness Professionals. Retrieved from ACE Fitness
Rush University Medical Center. (n.d.). The Power of Good Posture. Retrieved from https://www.rush.edu/news/power-good-posture
WebMD. (n.d.). What You Should Know About the Benefits of Good Posture. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/what-you-should-know-about-benefits-good-posture
