Your Health

Maintaining correct posture is of utmost importance in order to avoid serious health problems. From neck and back pain to blood flow and respiration, posture can have a major impact on how we live and how we feel every day. Minimizing and avoiding the following can help to prevent a bad posture:

• It adds to the stress on the spine. That puts a strain on the bones, muscles and joints we need to hold our backbone in place. A poor posture is not just bad for our back, it smashes our internal organs together, and makes it harder for our lungs and intestines to work. Over time, that will make it hard to digest food or get enough air when we breathe.

• Wearing heels for long periods of time. Footwear like pumps and stilettos thrust the base of our spine forward, which over-arches our back. That can change the way our backbone lines up and put pressure on nerves, which causes back pain. Sky-high shoes also put more weight on the knees.

• Carrying heavy backpacks or purses. These can be particularly stressful, especially when always worn over the same shoulder.
• Stresscan cause our ‘fight or flight’ mechanisms to work overtime, creating tension in the muscles we use the most. These are the exact muscles that affect our posture, and can result in a slouch.

• Excess fat

Too many pounds around the belly stress the back. We need strong muscles to support our spine. A well-designed workout plan will keep our body and spine in good shape.

Sources:

1. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-greenfield/posture-and-health_b_3277058.html
2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Posture_for_a_Healthy_Back
3. https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/ss/slideshow-posture-tips