Improve Your Posture: Tips on How to Straighten Your Back During the Day

Posture is something that has taken a turn for the worse in the human race. Many of our jobs require us to sit for several hours a day, and the advent of infotainment has caused many of us to lead an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. However, there are ways to improve your posture, and some of them are quite simple.

First, let's start with how to improve your posture while sitting in a desk chair. Most desk chairs are height adjustable and roll around on wheels. This can provide both an advantage and a disadvantage for posture. The first thing to remember is to make sure that both of your feet are flat on the floor in front of you. Your thighs should be more or less parallel to the floor, so use the height adjusting lever on your chair to make sure that these two conditions are met. Next, make sure that your back is as close to the back of the chair as possible. Ideally you want it to be touching the back of the chair in order to take strain off of the lower back. Make sure that your arms are bent between at 75 and 90 degree angle when you are working at your desk. If your arms are at a wider angle than this, then chances are you are slouching in your chair. To improve your posture at your desk it is also imperative that you make an effort to keep your shoulders back and your back straight. If you don't make a conscious effort to do this then you will fall into a slouching posture. Finally, it is a good idea to get up and move around from time to time. Every half hour or so, get up and walk around the office, get a drink of water, just make sure you're up and moving about. If you follow these guidelines, then you will be able to improve your posture in a seated position quite effectively.

If you are standing up and want to improve your posture, you're going to need to invest much more of a conscious effort. Keep your feet about shoulder width apart with your weight distributed on the balls of your feet rather than your heels. If you do this, then you will feel increased stability and support and won't feel the need to position your body weight uncomfortably in order to compensate. If you are standing for long periods of time (waiting for a train for example), then it's a good idea to put your shoulders and butt up against a wall for support. If there isn't a wall you can lean up against, then you should shift your weight between your legs every once in a while to make sure that neither one gets too fatigued. Finally, the best way to improve your posture while standing is to actually make an effort to straighten your back and not to round your shoulders. Pulling your chin in slightly will help with this. When walking, keep your shoulders back and try to prevent your head from shifting forward. If your head or chin drifts forward then your center of gravity will move forward as well and the shoulders will round to compensate for it.

If you're driving, there are a few ways to improve your posture. First, you want to make sure that you are close enough to reach the wheel and pedals comfortably, but not too close that you're scrunched. A good rule of thumb is to adjust the seat based on your outstretched arms. Your wrists should touch the top of the steering wheel when the arms are extended straight forward. Make sure that your back is firmly against the seat and that you are not reaching for the pedals. Poor posture while driving can contribute to lower back pain as well as increase your chance of injury if you are in a car for long periods of time.

Those are a few ways to improve your posture during several day-to-day situations. Remember that improving your posture is largely up to you and good posture derives from effort put into it.