Almost everyone will remember their parents chiding them to sit and stand straight without slouching as a child. As it turns out, the annoying advice does have multiple benefits, especially when you grow older. Some of the top health benefits of having good posture explained.
Good Posture – What Is It?
Posture refers to the position taken by your body when you are sitting, standing, or lying. Your body attains proper posture when its parts align as they ideally should, using the optimum amount of muscle tension to support itself. With good posture, your shoulders will not be tense, and your ears and shoulders will align evenly. The three spinal curves in the neck, middle of the back, and lower back will align evenly and naturally. The postural muscles hold your body in its proper posture so you can maintain your balance as you walk or sit. If you have poor posture, the reason could be tight muscles, poor core muscles, and insufficient leg strength, besides sedentary lifestyles involving sitting slumped at a desk for long hours working on the computer or mobile phone.
Key Benefits of Good Posture
Avert chronic pain: If you sit at a desk for many hours at a stretch in a lumped or hunched position, you pull your muscles into unnatural positions. Some muscles, especially on the back, may stretch too much, while those at the front tend to become unusually short and tight. According to The Joint Chiropractic in Cartersville, GA, the unnatural position of the muscles results in chronic pain because of their inability to properly support your spine and head.
Improve blood circulation: Sitting up straight and adopting a good posture optimizes the blood flow, so all tissues and organs get the oxygen necessary to function well. Poor blood circulation prevents your body from getting the nutrients essential for proper growth.
Boost lung capacity: Your lungs can only inflate fully when you do not slouch. However, when you sit up or stand straight, you can breathe more freely and fill more air in your lungs. Moreover, when you have good posture, you can reap the benefits of breathing and aerobic exercise because you can fill your lungs.
Enhance energy levels: One of the outcomes of a boost in circulation and better lung capacity is the body gets all the oxygen it requires to function optimally. Good posture permits better oxygenation and does not compromise breathing. It is easy to see how a hunched posture reduces the amount of oxygen you can draw into your lungs and increases your fatigue. According to Forbes, poor posture also affects your mood negatively.
Prevent injury: discomfort is not the only issue arising from poor posture. Research shows if you have bad posture, you are more prone to various workstation injuries like elbow tendonitis, carpal tunnel, shoulder impingement, cubital tunnel syndrome, etc., by adopting good posture, you can put less stress on your shoulders, elbows, and wrists and prevent injuries.
Conclusion
As is evident, adopting a good posture has multiple benefits. The body gets the opportunity of reducing injury, fatigue, and pain while being able to breathe more freely and improve blood circulation.