23 Oct Why is posture important ?
Growing up did you ever hear “Sit up straight” or “no slouching” from the adults around you? If not, you might be one of the lucky ones who somehow mastered perfect posture at a young age, but for the rest of us, hearing reminders about our posture was a common occurrence. Posture is important because it can impact everything from your health to success in business. Knowing this, it is critical to understand what posture is and how “good” posture is generally defined.
Posture according to the ACA “is the correct alignment of body parts supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity.” Simply put the way you sit, stand and lay. This may sound like a lot but don’t worry, the majority of this alignment is completed by our muscles subconsciously. However, there are a few things we can do to help these muscles maintain a good posture for our body, let’s take a look at some tips provided by the ACA below.
How do I sit properly?
- Keep your feet on the floor or on a footrest, if they don’t reach the floor.
- Don’t cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees.
- Keep a small gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
- Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.
- Adjust the backrest of your chair to support your low- and mid-back or use a back support.
- Relax your shoulders and keep your forearms parallel to the ground.
- Avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time.
How do I stand properly?
- Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
- Keep your knees slightly bent.
- Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Let your arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
- Stand straight and tall with your shoulders pulled backward.
- Tuck your stomach in.
- Keep your head level-your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders. Do not push your head forward, backward, or to the side.
- Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time.
What is the proper laying position?
- Find the mattress that is right for you. While a firm mattress is generally recommended, some people find that softer mattresses reduce their back pain. Your comfort is important.
- Sleep with a pillow. Special pillows are available to help with postural problems resulting from a poor sleeping position.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
- Sleeping on your side or back is more often helpful for back pain. If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs. If you sleep on your back, keep a pillow under your knees.
Now that we covered what good posture is, let’s take a look into why it is so important. First and foremost, our health! Long-term bad posture can negatively impact both your physical and mental wellbeing. Improper posture can lead to the following ailments:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Sleep Issues
- Hip, Knee and Ankle Pain
- Pelvic Pain
- Lowered Self-Esteem
- Digestive Issues
- Increased Stress
- Arthritis
Knowing the impact posture can have on our health is just one reason to try and maintain good posture. Another reason is the positive impact it can have on your professional career. Let’s take a look at how the way you sit, or stand can affect your level of success.
Posture can improve productivity.
Not only does it help fight away back pain which can be distracting while sitting at your desk but good posture is also shown to produce higher levels of energy and concentration while lowering stress and headaches. All of these elements combined produce a higher level of production while at work.
Good posture boosts your confidence and empowers you.
Posture is part of your overall body language, which is a nonverbal way to communicate. When you sit up straight and stand tall you feel more powerful thus boosting your confidence. This increase in confidence can be seen by those around you, causing their perception of you to change allowing them to trust you more or want to follow your lead. Think about this, when is the last time you saw a CEO slumping?
Posture can impact your communication.
Slouching and poor posture can be seen as weakness and self-doubt. If you are sitting at a meeting slouching or cowering those listening to you speak are more likely to not trust what you are saying and doubt your words. However, on the flip side when you stand (or sit) tall and begin to communicate those around you they will see you as a leader, someone who is confident in their words. This will ultimately lead to becoming a better leader.
It is never too late to work on yourself and make positive changes. Start today with your posture! Looking for additional ways to improve your everyday routine? Check out all FITTEAM has to offer: Click here to learn more about our products, and click here to learn more about our opportunity.
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-good-posture-matters
https://acatoday.org/content/posture-power-how-to-correct-your-body-alignment
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/5-surprising-ways-your-posture-impacts-your-success/
https://www.fastcompany.com/3049548/3-surprising-ways-your-posture-impacts-your-success
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/posture