How to Stand With Good Posture

We all have an understanding that good posture is important to maintaining a healthy spine and a strong back. Poor posture causes the muscles in your neck and back to strain against gravity, which can cause pain, headaches, fatigue and even injuries to your nerves and muscles. By learning how to stand with good posture, you can reduce back problems and muscle pain by balancing your weight efficiently.

Here at I Want A Standing Desk we've researched 4 great pieces of advice...

Step 1

Pay attention to your posture while standing to identify bad habits. Some common posture problems include allowing your shoulders to hunch forward, allowing your stomach to push out so that your lower back sways inward, allowing your head to hang down or resting all of your weight on one leg. Check your posture throughout the day when you’re walking or standing in line to begin breaking bad habits.

Step 2

Test your posture against a wall to accustom your body to good posture. Position your heels 2 to 4 inches from a wall, with your head, shoulder blades and buttocks touching the wall. Make sure your legs are straight without locking your knees. Slide your hand with a flat palm between the wall and your lower back. If the space between the wall and your lower back is wider than your hand, pull in your abdomen to straighten the sway in your lower spine. Step slowly away from the wall to practice maintaining your posture.

Step 3

Keep your shoulders back but relaxed. Allowing your shoulders to slouch forward shortens chest muscles, reducing flexibility. Roll your shoulders back and hold them straight without straining them too far back. If your abdomen pushes forward when you pull your shoulders back, you have pulled them back too far.

Step 4

Hold your head straight and balanced at the top of your spine. Your head is quite heavy, so letting it hang forward can put considerable strain on your neck muscles. If the back of your head isn’t touching the wall during your wall test, you are carrying it too far forward.

Tip

Good posture may feel strange or even uncomfortable when you first begin making improvements, but it will become easier over time.

Off we go!