Live Well: 6 Tips for Better Posture

Posture relates to the position of your spine while you are sitting, standing, or moving. How you hold your body impacts your musculoskeletal health in a number of ways. Poor posture can lead to back pain, headaches, poor balance, neck pain, breathing difficulties, and other health issues.

To help improve your posture, try these tips:

1. Center your head above your shoulders. Adjust the position of your head to align your ears with the center of your shoulders.
2. Pull your shoulders back. Press your shoulder blades together periodically to reset your positioning as you move through your daily routines.
3. Pull in your belly. Draw in your abdomen as if you were pulling your belly button toward your spine.
4. Take frequent stretch breaks. Staying in one position for too long can lead to stiff joints and strained muscles, especially if your posture is poor to begin with. Take mini stretch breaks throughout the day to realign your spine.
5. Avoid looking down at your phone. Looking down at your phone for long periods of time can cause neck strain. Reposition your phone frequently, or limit the amount of time you spend looking down.
6. Have an ergonomic assessment. Repositioning your keyboard, monitor, and seating can dramatically improve your posture. Have a professional assess your workspace setup to help improve your posture during the workday.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and wearable devices continue to become more affordable and accessible, intelligent clothing like shirts with built-in sensors may become a viable option to help assess your posture in the future. In the meantime, fine-tuning the position of your body throughout the day can help reduce spinal muscle strain.

Improving your posture requires a great deal of self-awareness. By making small corrections to your daily routines, you can minimize or avoid posture-related health conditions.