Do you remember as I child being told to “stand up straight, keep your shoulders back?”
We often assume there is a right way to sit and stand. But what if I told you that everything you’ve heard about having good posture isn’t necessarily true?
What is “good posture”, anyway? Most people would describe this as having your back straight with your spine in perfect alignment, and the shoulders, back, and head neutral. There are even postural analysis charts and testing to determine if someone is in perfect alignment. But here’s the thing...perfect posture doesn’t really exist.
My posture is going to be slightly different than yours and different from your colleagues and or your spouse. Our bodies are unique, our lifestyles are unique, and our posture and alignment is going to be too.
It's often uncomfortable, or even painful, to hold “perfect posture” if we’re not used to it. That’s because you’re putting your body into a position that simply isn’t natural for you. Instead of thinking of good posture as some sort of perfect line you’re supposed to keep your body in, think of it more in terms of positioning the body in a way that allows body parts, like muscles, ligaments, joints, etc. to function to their full capacity, and without creating some sort of pain or injury. The optimal position of your body depends on your body’s needs and what it has become accustomed to over time.
Our bodies adapt according to our lifestyle. If, for most of your life, you’ve maintained the posture that’s commonly considered ‘correct’, then that’s how your body will naturally hold as you go about your life. If, however, you’ve lived much of your life bending forward, your posture may look ‘bad’, but you have no ill effects because of it; i.e. no pain, no loss of function, etc. then that is great. Perfect alignment is almost impossible to achieve at all times, for most people, and for many, it may actually causes problems to constantly force yourself into that “perfect” position. Again, our bodies and our lifestyles are so unique to one another.
Can I just point out though, that pain is not normal and you should strive to make sure you are doing the most you can for your spine health. Finding out what is your body’s ultimate posture is good for spinal health. It’s important to note that movement is key in maintaining your body’s back health because sitting in the same position for long periods of time can be stressful on the spine, no matter how ‘good’ your holding posture is.
This doesn’t mean we should sit in awkward positions and throw the entire idea of alignments out the window. But the important thing isn’t necessarily how you stand or sit throughout the day, but rather the strength of the muscles that support the spine. The stronger and more balanced those muscles, the ‘safer’ the spine remains even in seemingly abnormal positions.
You’ll hear many professionals make the claim that your poor posture is causing your back pain, neck pain, or whatever else you complain of; but for many, the natural posture our body feels most comfortable in may very well be preventing our pain from worsening or appearing at all. Anytime we discuss posture, it’s important to determine if your posture is causing your pain, or if your pain is causing your posture. Is your back hurting because you round forward, or are you rounding forward in an instinctual way of protecting your back?
This is the argument I made against rushing out in lockdown and buying a “standing desk” as I know that some peoples standing posture, is not necessarily better that their seated posture. I for one, do all kinds of crazy when standing that I just can’t do when seated.
So, don’t buy into the hype of perfect posture, and the thousands of types of expensive devices and tools that promise to give you that perfect pose. If you’re not hurting from the way you sit and stand now, it may very well not be necessary to mess with it. If you are experiencing pain, however, it’s best to talk with a professional about what’s really happening and what truly needs to be done about it.