Guide to Good Posture When Standing

Maintaining good posture when standing can help you look your best. Good posture is vital for your long-term health. It can prevent pain, injuries, and other health conditions if you make sure that you hold your body properly.

What is Good Posture When Standing?

There’s no consensus on what entails good posture. The key here is to ensure that your spine is in a neutral position all the time.

The spine has three natural curves found at the mid-back, low back, and neck. Having a good posture means that these curves are maintained. They are not increased or decreased.

Related: Good Posture When Reading a Book

How to Properly Stand with Good Posture? 

• Make sure that you have a straight spine and natural curves. Don’t slouch to the side.
• Prevent yourself from hyperextending or slouching forward
• Keep your chin up while your feet are less than shoulder-width apart
• Keep your knees slightly bent
• Let your arms hang down at your sides naturally

What are the Effects of Bad Posture When Standing?

Poor posture can have negative effects on our bodies. That’s why you need to stand up straight. Here are some of the consequences of not standing straight and maintaining the natural curvature of your body.

Back Pain 

This is the most common side effect of poor posture. The unwanted strain on your back is the result of slouching forward. As you bend forward, you’re putting pressure between your shoulder blades.

If there’s pain below your neck after a long day at work, then it’s a sure sign you are not standing up straight or sitting down in an upright position.

Headaches 

Because there’s pressure on your posterior muscles when you slouch, it can affect your neck causing headaches. The strain on your neck is caused by muscle tightening, leading to tension headaches.

However, it’s important to note that poor posture doesn’t automatically cause headaches. But bad posture is one of the causes of headaches and neck pain.

Change in Spine Shape

The curves of your spine form an S shape. You should maintain those curves. If not the natural curves will change over time. The change, unfortunately, can cause excess pressure in the wrong position.

Because of the change, your spine’s health can slowly deteriorate its natural ability to absorb shock. Thus, your body is more at risk of serious injury in the future.

Inadequate Sleep 

Poor posture doesn’t only cause strain on your muscles and back but it can also affect your sleep. The reason for this is that bad posture puts your muscles in a compromising position.

The strain will make it difficult to relax your body at night, which can lead to hours of lost sleep.

Related: Good Posture When Sleeping

Poor Digestion 

Bad posture can also lead to digestive issues. The reason for this is that it compresses your organs, thereby, slowing down the digestion process. It leads to stomach issues, too.

How to Improve Your Posture? 

Whether you are standing up or sitting down, it’s vital to maintain proper posture. Here are some things you can do to ensure you have proper posture:

Stay Active 

Regular exercise may tend to improve your posture. However, some types of exercise are especially helpful.

Yoga is the number option here. There are specific yoga positions that can help in straightening your spine.

But other exercises are also great. These would include tai chi, Pilates, and other classes that teach you how to be aware of your body.

You should also try strengthening exercises. These exercises are great for strengthening your muscles around the back, pelvis, and abdomen.

Related: Good Posture When Sitting

Lose Weight 

Excess weight doesn’t only affect the scale but also your posture. To accommodate the extra weight, your spine and joints must bend unusually, thereby, affecting your overall posture and health.

Over time, the extra weight in your body can lead to bad posture. Thus, you will suffer from stooped shoulders and a bent spine. Your hips also rotate out of alignment. Then, there’s a protruding belly that you can just get rid of.

Because extra weight can affect your spine and weakens your abdominal muscles, it’s important to maintain proper posture at all times.

Wear Comfortable Shoes 

Stilettos will make you look sexy. But they are not good for your health and posture. According to this report, wearing high heels could affect your brain. It constricts your blood vessels and nerve supply.

When you kick off your heels, you feel better. The reason for this is that there’s an instant blood supply going to your brain. As you stop wearing heels, your mental health may slowly improve.

There are many women now who are suffering from permanent problems because of high heels and ill-fitting footwear. Bunions, leg tendon damage, and knee pain are just some of the side effects of wearing heels. Plus, don’t forget your posture.

Indeed, high heels can help in making your legs look longer. But that’s all it can do. If you wear high heels every day, your overall posture will be greatly affected.

When you wear heels, you’re raising your height. But you’re standing on your toes in heels. The center of gravity shifts forward. As it happens, it also shifts your pelvis forward, thereby, putting pressure on your spine and nerves over time.

Although wearing heels must be avoided for the health of your spine and back, you may not want to switch to flat shoes. The reason for this is that wearing ballet flats or flip-flops can also affect your health. The reason for this is that they don’t have enough support.

Instead, choose to wear shoes with a cushioned sole. They must have support to the foot and ankle.

Can Posture Corrector Help? 

A posture corrector can help you maintain proper posture. But you must choose a comfortable corrector so that you can wear it for a longer period.

To correct your posture with a posture corrector, there’s no need to wear it for the entire day. Instead, choose to wear it for 25 minutes every day to maintain proper posture.

Related: Will Swimming Improve Posture?

Summary 

Maintaining good posture when standing is vital for your overall health. There are many ways to maintain proper posture. If you are having difficulty maintaining good posture, you may find posture corrector helpful. To shop for one, please visit.