Importance of Posture

Everyone knows it’s important to maintain good posture, but many Americans have posture issues. Heads up! There’s a lot more to it than you thought, having good posture can benefit your social life, career and physical well-being. Standing up straight and tall exudes confidence and approachability. You are open to your environment, people, opportunities and events around you. In the workforce, you are seen as strong and an essential part of the company opposed to those who slouch. Another interesting side effect of bad posture is an increased risk for developing depression. Anyone walking through life with his or her head down is seen as sad, unconfident and insecure. Unfortunately, these are common characteristics of depression that can be ameliorated through better posture.

More importantly, there are many serious physical ramifications of poor posture. Slouching over crushes your stomach and intestines, backing you up and possibly leading to digestive issues. Increased sitting or bent posture can also cut off the flow of gasses and fluids in the body leading to poor circulation. According to Prevention Magazine, “Shallow chest breathing strains the lungs, which must move faster to ensure adequate oxygen flow, and taxes the heart, which is forced to speed up to provide enough blood for oxygen transport. The result is a vicious cycle, where stress prompts shallow breathing, which in turn creates more stress,” Krucoff says.

Having poor posture over time can lead to detrimental spine, shoulder, hip and knee problems. Positioning our body in a slouched position can reduce flexibility, compromise muscles and create back and joint pain. To permanently promote good posture the muscles in the lower back need to be strengthened. Get working on your posture, see yourself in a better light and prevent many physical complications. Don’t create a pain the neck or back, stand up straight and keep your head up!