Good postures vs bad posture

Poor posture looks bad – slouching conveys a lack of interest, energy and vitality. Most people know that we should practice good posture, but did you know that having good posture can actually help you get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle?
Practicing good posture allows your bones, ligaments, and muscles to align properly. This leads to better productivity and more energy. For kids it is vital that they learn good posture from a young age. Trying to fix bad posture is not difficult from early age.


Health effects of poor posture:

• Suffering from chronic pain in the hands, neck and shoulders
•  Repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome 
• Poor posture is unhealthy – bad habits can cause problems with joints, muscles, the spine and internal organs.
• Poor posture can also cause bones to grow abnormally.                 

Good posture

• Good Posture ensures that the least strain is placed on muscles and ligaments. Having good posture prevents muscle fatigue and backaches, decreases wear on joints, ligaments, and bones, and contribute to a good appearance.
• Good posture facilitates breathing. It naturally enables you to breathe properly. If you breathe properly, your body circulation will improve. Your metabolism will speed up, your body’s energy creating capacity is greater and your body is able to eliminate free radicals and waste materials fast. 
• Good posture increases your concentration and thinking ability. When you are breathing properly, you increase your thinking ability too. Remember that our brain requires 20% of oxygen to do its job properly. Thus, our brain functions efficiently when we observe good posture. 
• Good posture improves your image. Observe people who have good postures. They look good. They look smarter and attractive. They feel confident and give out a certain appeal and aura around them.                                                                     
• Your posture reflects your self confidence. If you lack self confidence, you are not healthy emotionally. Good posture makes you feel good about yourself. 
• Good posture also makes you avoid health complications. A bad posture results in several complications over time, such as increased risks of slipped disc, back aches, back pain, pressure inside your chest, poor blood circulation. 

 Does posture really matter? 
"Yes," says Jeffrey Bergin Dean of Clinics at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard. "Many children are suffering from chronic pain in the hands, neck and shoulders, as well as repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Many of these ailments can be prevented and eliminated with proper attention to posture, correct backpack use and attention to how and how long children sit at computer stations. "Poor posture can also cause bones to grow abnormally.

Good posture ensures that the least strain is placed on muscles and ligaments. According to Spine Universe.com having good posture prevents muscle fatigue and backaches, decreases wear on joints, ligaments, and bones, and contributes to a good appearance.

 Deborah Saint-Phard, a physiatrist at CU Sports Medicine says good posture is crucial for optimal performance in sports. "Oftentimes, I'll walk into a room and see teenage kids slumped over, with rounded shoulders and head slumped over. They'll have shoulder pains (when they) play tennis," she says. Saint-Phard says poor posture is exacerbated by weak back muscles that are elongated and stretched out.

She says children can learn good posture in a positive way. "I counsel my (5-year-old daughter): 'Sit up proud. Be proud of who you are.'" she says.

More links:

Read more :How teachers can teach children good posture?
 * 'Parenting good posture' 
* 'Stand tall'

* Good posture vital for kids and teens

* Good posture (pdf)

What is a good posture?

Posture comes from a combination of good muscle control, strength, and self-confidence.
Posture can be defined as the way in which you carry yourself or the position of your limbs in regard to the remainder of your body.

To maintain good posture, you want to be aware of how you sit, stand, and walk to ensure your back is healthy and free of pain. Poor posture can be caused by a number of factors. Obesity, pregnancy, weak muscles, high-heeled shoes, poor working environment, and laziness are a few contributing factors to poor posture.                                  

Maintaining a good posture takes a conscious effort, much like any other habit. If you do something often enough, even standing or sitting straight with your stomach sucked in, it will become second nature and you won’t have to think about it. Besides getting rid of back pain, having proper posture can also affect the other joints in our bodies. If you slouch while seated, your back, knees, and neck may hurt. If you let your posture go while driving, it could actually be a contributing factor to an accident because you won’t be able to see properly out the rearview or side mirrors.

Your back is the workhorse of the body. Not only is it involved in nearly every movement we make, it is central to balance and keeping our head on straight, so to speak. Backaches and injuries are some of the most common complaints when people visit doctors or when they call in sick. If back pain is causing you problems, you’ll want to discuss it with your doctor. They may recommend a physical therapist or medication. You may also want to consult a chiropractor to help you correct bad posture. Take time to be aware of how you stand, walk, sit, and lift. If you relax too much you may get lazy and begin slouching instead of keeping your spine straight and stomach pulled in. Keeping your posture intact helps strengthen the muscles along the spine and can help reduce or eliminate back pain.



What is a good posture?

Posture is how a person holds their body when not only standing but when sitting or laying down. It requires a person to balance their muscle along their spine, have good muscle flexibility, and normal motion in the joints. Those who have good posture are aware of their posture and correct it when wrong. Posture comes from a combination of good muscle control, strength, and self-confidence. Those with good posture walk and sit with their back straight, shoulders back, and head high.

Douglas Wisoff, a Boulder physical therapis says: Reducing stress and ramping up physical activity can both help improve posture, he says. For those with very poor posture, he suggests seeing a professional for advice. "The mistake that people make is that they force themselves into a new position, rather than relax into a new position," he says. "(Improving posture) might require some good instruction. Forcing it creates that very tight military posture that you see. Basically you lay a whole new set of tensions on top of your old tensions. In the future, that causes problems."

Useful links:

* Posture for a Healthy Back