Good posture helps prevent pain and injury, but it also helps your body work as efficiently as possible, explains the American Physical Therapy Association. Your body is designed to operate its best when you're using good posture, which is why everyday tasks like taking out the garbage or typing on the computer can make you sore and achy if you're not doing them properly. Though good posture can feel a little weird at first if you're in the habit of slumping or hunching, the more you practice it, the more natural it will feel.
Step 1
Stand and sit so that your weight is evenly distributed on your hips, recommends the University of California at Riverside's Environmental Health & Safety information resource. If one hip is bearing more weight than the other, you're probably using bad posture.
Step 2
Keep your shoulders level. If one shoulder's tilted up or down, it's a sure sign your body is out of balance, according to the American Physical Therapy Association.
Step 3
Hold your head and neck straight so that they are centered over your shoulders.
Step 4
Adjust your chair so that your feet rest comfortably on the floor or on a foot rest and your knees are just slightly lower than your hips to maintain good posture.
Step 5
Stand and sit so that your knees point straight ahead.
Step 6
Practice correct upper-body posture by standing against a smooth wall and pressing your lower back, your shoulders and head back against it. That pose gives you correct posture that you can duplicate when you're tempted to slump.
Step 7
Tighten the muscles in your abdomen, pulling in your stomach to flatten it, when you're standing and sitting.
Tips and Warnings
- Take a break whenever you're sitting or standing for more than an hour at a time. Get up and walk around for a few minutes, then resume your correct posture when you return to your position, recommends the University of California at Riverside's Environmental Health & Safety information resource.
