Good Posture for Good Health

Say cheese! We’ve all been there – a friend goes to take a picture of us so we quickly think, “shoulders back, chest out, stand tall”. But, then we sit down at our chairs at work, stand around, and drive our cars with our heads forward, chests back, and shoulders forward. Extended time spent with at our desks, phones, or watching TV can start to take its toll on our bodies and our posture.

When we are in good posture, our body weight is evenly distributed across our joints, muscles, and ligaments, minimizing stress and strain.

When we deviate from this posture for long periods, we cause unnecessary strain on joints and soft tissue that aren’t built to carry our weight.

Poor posture can cause neck, shoulder, back, and hip pain, headaches, and can contribute to disc problems over time.

Several factors can contribute to poor posture such as muscle imbalances, inappropriate shoes, or a poor desk setup.

Here are some pointers for maintaining good posture when you’re working at your desk!

Do’s

• Set up your monitor at eye height to keep you from looking up or down… Using a monitor stand can help
• Have your keyboard height at a comfortable height that allows your arms to rest at your sides with the elbows bent at 90* and the wrists in a neutral position
• Keep your shoulders back
• Sit with your back firmly against the back of your chair
• Keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent to 90*

Don’ts

• Work with the shoulders shrugged up with the arms away from the body
• Tuck your feet under your chair or with them hovering off the ground
• Round or slouch your shoulders, mid back, and neck

The best piece of advice we can give is to KEEP MOVING. If you need to sit for long times at work, set a timer on your computer or phone to stand up, move around, and stretch every hour. Staying in the same position for too long isn’t good for our joints and muscles. This doesn’t just apply to our posture… if we kept our elbow fully bent for hours, it wouldn’t feel great straightening it again!

If you’re having aches and pain that you think could be related to your posture, call Peach Physiotherapy at 519-358-7342 to schedule a one-on-one assessment to find out how we can help!