What is Good Posture - Looking After Your Back
Body
12-14
The way we hold our body while carrying on with various activities is called posture. Good posture is essential for maintaining good spinal health. Building good posture is a matter of habit. It requires us to be aware of how we are holding ourselves, in order to put least strain on our back while performing our day to day activities.
Having good posture means that:
-
Your bones and joints are in line enabling the muscles to be used properly.
-
Your spine has its three normal curves.
-
Ligaments are not under strain.
-
You don't get tired quickly.
-
Your back and other muscles are pain free.
Regular exercise like running, walking, cycling and playing different sports will help to keep your back strong.
Let us see what is considered good posture while standing, sitting, lifting and lying down.
Standing up: Stand in front of the mirror. Hold your head up and chin in and look straight ahead. Keep your shoulders back. Tuck your tummy in. Keep your knees straight. Take a deep breath and relax your shoulders. Keep your chest forward.
Sitting down: When you sit, try to keep your back straight. Put your back against the backrest of the chair. Your knees should make a right angle. Feet flat on floor. Don't cross your legs.
Be aware of your posture while working on a computer. Instead of leaning forward, sit back and stretch your arms out to the keyboard. Rest you arms on the desk.
Lifting things: While lifting, put your feet apart, hold the object close to your body and keep your arms bent. Don’t lift anything higher than your waist. Bend your legs and hips, tighten your tummy muscles and use your leg muscles to help you lower the object down again.
Lying down: Keep the natural curves in your back.When lying on your side, keep your knees bent. Lie with your head on one pillow so that your spine is in a natural position.
Thinking about good posture and being careful to look after your spine will help you to have a strong healthy back.
Stay Tuned! Stay Relevant!
