How Good Posture Keeps You Healthy




Poor posture can make you look older and heavier, and researchers have found it speeds aging because it adds stress to joints and contributes to chronic back pain.

In contrast, studies show that standing or sitting up straight rather than slouching makes you physically and even psychologically stronger. It also reduces the risk of falls and disability.

A forward tilt of the trunk — where the shoulders are in front of the hips rather than above them while standing or walking — is especially risky.

A Japanese study of 804 men and women, who were at least 65 years old, found that those with the greatest tilt in their trunk were more than three times as likely to need help with daily activities, such as bathing, getting dressed, and getting in and out of bed, during the next few years.

Unfortunately, people often are unaware of poor posture, which can develop early in life.

“We can have altered perception,” says Mike Fantigrassi, director of professional services for the National Academy of Sports Medicine, where he trains fitness professionals.

For example, it can seem normal to walk with the toes and knees turned out in an exaggerated fashion, rather than pointing straight ahead, or to stand and sit with the head and neck forward, instead of the ears being directly above the shoulders.

“People learn to balance with the wrong posture,” Fantigrassi tells Newsmax Health.

Some simple exercises can solve the problem.

To correct posture, Fantigrassi recommends doing the following exercises once or twice daily. Except for the stretches, do each exercise 12–20 times, on each side where applicable.

YTA: To strengthen the muscles in the upper back and reverse rounded shoulders, stand with your arms by your sides. Keeping your arms straight, raise them above your head to form a “Y,” hold for a second, lower your arms parallel to the floor to make a “T,” and hold, and then down in a 45-degree angle, to make an “A,” and repeat. Throughout, keep the shoulders down and feel your shoulder blades squeezing together.

Chin tuck: To align your head and neck, while sitting or standing straight, gently shift your head back while tucking in your chin downward, relax and repeat.

Toe raises: While standing with bare feet, toes pointing straight ahead front, raise and lower the toes.

Calf stretch: Stand with your hands against a wall in front of you, left knee bent and left food on the floor near the wall. Your right leg should be straight and extended behind you, heel on the floor. It should look like you are trying to push down the wall. Feel the stretch in your right calf, hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Wall leg raises: Lie on your left side, with your back against a wall and your left arm stretched out under the side of your head. Keeping your right leg as straight as you can, slide your right heel up the wall, as high as is comfortable (not more than an angle of 45 degrees), lower and repeat 12–20 times. Then, do the same on the other side.

The full version of this article appeared in Health Radar newsletter. To read more, click here.

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