I preach the importance of good posture to clients (or anyone for that matter) daily. Posture is a habit our muscles mold into. Good posture doesn’t just happen. We must make a conscious effort to engage our core, stabilize our shoulder blades, and tuck our chin while maintaining length in our cervical spine – whew, that was an exercise on its own!
It takes consistency to make it a habit.
Here are a few posture tips to help realign during the day.
If you’re busy with errands, pause to take a peek at your reflection. Are your shoulders rounded? Are you leaning more toward one hip? Is your head or belly protruding forward? Take notice, and make adjustments. With practice, an aligned stance will feel more natural.
If you sit down a large portion of the day, ensure your ergonomics are in order. Elbows, hips, and knees should be at a 90-degree angle. Place your computer screen at eye level. Include lumbar support to take the strain off the lower back and ensure your feet are flat on the floor. Stand up, walk, and rotate your head every 20 minutes.
Here are a few more tips:
- ➡Drop your upper shoulders and engage your mid-back muscles by bringing your scapulae (shoulder blades) closer together.
- ➡Slightly nod, then tuck your chin in by moving it backward and not downward toward the chest. Your cervical spine should maintain length.
- ➡”Zip” up your abdominals by contracting them and anchor your rib cage down. Imagine hugging your spinal column with your abdomen.
- ➡When standing, imagine equally distributing your weight instead of leaning heavily on one side.
- ➡Alternate the side you carry extra baggage, or better yet, the kind of bag you carry, e.g., messenger, backpack, crossover.
And if you don’t remember any of this, simply stand tall and breathe deep!
Corina Miranda-Risnes
Certified Personal Trainer
NYS Licensed Massage Therapist
Integrative Fitness Therapy 