Posture Guides

Correct and Incorrect Posture Guide

Improve your posture naturally!

Correct posture is more than just standing a certain way. Our posture, in essence, defines so much about our existence. Posture determines not just how we look but also the way we walk, sit, and stand. Unfortunately, not everyone has good posture. In fact, “perfect” posture is often quite rare - especially today, as so many of us work jobs that require sitting for long periods of time at desks, slouched in uncomfortable chairs as we hunch over a keyboard and stare at a computer screen. Then, even more of us come home and stare at our smart devices for even longer, resulting in us developing bad posture without knowing what we’re doing.

There are so many components of what “healthy posture” means. There’s sitting posture, head posture, walking posture, knowing the right posture to be in when lifting heavy objects - the list goes on and on. There are any number of little things we do on a daily basis that can affect our posture above and beyond working at a desk for hours, as well. If nothing is done to maintain proper posture, over time you will tend to start bending, stooping, slouching, and develop stiffness in your muscles, joints, and other parts of the body. Muscle tension can lead to joint pain and muscle pain, especially in the back muscles, and that impacts your quality of life both while at work and at home.

We know how hard it is to improve posture on your own. That’s why, in addition to providing some of the best posture correction devices available anywhere, we’ve come up with this guide to good posture to help you find easy ways to stand, sit, and walk in the correct position to reduce pain and live better, more fulfilling lives. 

One of the most effective ways to maintain good posture is to do your best to avoid slouching while walking. In fact, most postural problems are caused by slouching. According to physiotherapists, most cases of poor or bad posture are due to slouching. Thankfully, there are easy ways to be more conscious of the way you’re walking and to find ways to avoid slouching. 

One of these is to focus on your calves whenever you’re walking. Find a way to feel at ease as you walk, adding a bit of a bounce to your stride. If you can feel yourself springing back from your calf muscles as you walk, you’re walking in a way that will help you focus on good posture. Mastering this approach can help you relax the upper part of your body. This will reduce pressure on your back and result in lowered instances of back pain as a result.

If you want to reduce back pain and ensure you’re not developing poor postural habits, you need to focus on sitting upright as much as you can. Sitting correctly in the proper upright position can help reduce pressure on not just the muscles in your back but also your spinal cord as well.

You need to become more aware of sitting position, and not just while you’re in the office for work. You also need to be more aware of how you’re sitting at home.  One of the most effective methods for accomplishing this is to invest in ergonomically designed chairs that are appropriate for your height and weight. Additionally, if you want to maintain a good upright position while seated, always align your back squarely with the office chair.

Believe it or not, knowing the key to correcting your posture isn’t nearly as difficult as you might think. In fact, you can easily take steps to improve your posture by simply changing your routine while at work or even at home. The most effective way to do this is to take regular breaks to stand up, no matter how comfortable your chair or seat might be. 

Whether you stand in place, walk around your home or office, or engage in a little light exercise, the act of getting up and stretching your legs will help reduce the chances that poor posture habits will develop. The human body isn’t designed to be stuck in the same spot or position for long periods of time, which is why you feel cramped and sore after things like long car rides or similar activity. Try to spend at least five to fifteen minutes out of your seat for every hour you spend in it. 

Sadly, most of us don’t know much about how to stand properly to maintain a posture that results in better health. In fact, standing incorrectly can have negative effects on not just your back but the structure of your entire body. This makes learning how to stand crucial in so many ways.

The first step to standing in ways that will result in better overall health is to work on your overall body awareness. You need to keep your head up and straight forward while standing and walking, keep your shoulders back and your chest out. This can go a long way in helping to correct a wide number of common posture mistakes.

Improving your posture is so very important for not just our physical fitness but our mental health as well. No one wants to be in constant pain and discomfort because their posture is poor, after all. This makes it important to take these tips for postural correction and improvement as seriously as possible.

Outside the general strategies discussed above in this guide, there are also many other ways to improve your posture. These include stretching, which is one of the most recommended techniques by physiotherapists. Other recommendations include using braces and posture correctors to help retrain your body over time to stand, walk, sit, and move in the proper position. Whatever methods you choose, you’ll find the best guidance and education right here at The Natural Posture.