Posture

[missy-t1]

I have terrible posture I lean forwards when I walk..sometimes looking like I have a hunchback. I really do try and keep my back straight but it is pretty hard for me. I have also been to my GP who has just told me to keep my back straight. Any recommendations?

 

[CoreySuprStr]

Practice this throughout the day whenever u get a chance. stand with your back against a wall, and make sure these 4 things are touching. your heels, butt, shoulder blades, and back of head. standing like that for a few minutes throughout the day will help you practice good posture, and it feels great too!

 

[missy-t1]

Thanks for the tip I certainly will try it

 

[Bluestar07]

I have great posture. Unfortunately a friend of mine doesn't and I can't figure out why! Maybe her bone structure is a little off? She's slim but I don't think she works out so maybe her muscle tone is not that great? She also walks a little weird.

Is she making a conscious effort to maintain her posture? I did have to when I was younger although it comes more naturally now with dancing.
I wonder too if bone structure could have an effect. My right hip is higher than the other and I always wondered if that could be the cause or at least contribute the the lower back pain I get sometimes. My sister also has one hip noticeable higher than the other and it's quite obvious when she walks, as in she seems to sway one hip more than the other. But other than that, her posture seems fine.

 

[Tatika]

will lack of core muscle stregnth effect youre posture? if so, this is probably why i slouch like hell

 

[LifeNatureLove]

Oh my, my parents since I can remember, always corrected my posture. I grew up really tall, really fast so I thought by slouching I'd be shorter
Anywho, thank gooodness they kept at me to sit and stand up straight because when you do it: 1. makes you look thinner, 2. gives off an elegant persona, 3. just makes you loook better in general.
There is a girl I work with that hunches over so much that it takes everything in me not to correct her. It drives me INSANE!!! She looks so . . . blah
Oh yeah, if you have posture/ slouching problems, ab exercises help with that a lot.

 

[J'aime_la_mode]

I just went to the chiropractor because my back had been in severe pain for several days. He told me it happened because of slouching and that I had arched my spine in an unatural way, pinched nerves and displaced a rib Luckily it wasn't hard to fix and correct, since I'm still young I can correct my posture because I haven't been slouching for as long. I always forced myself to stand up straight but when I'm sitting, I always slouch. So I suppose good posture doesn't only make you look good, it's vital for a healthy back.

 

[Irene_A]

Is she making a conscious effort to maintain her posture? I did have to when I was younger although it comes more naturally now with dancing.
I wonder too if bone structure could have an effect. My right hip is higher than the other and I always wondered if that could be the cause or at least contribute the the lower back pain I get sometimes. My sister also has one hip noticeable higher than the other and it's quite obvious when she walks, as in she seems to sway one hip more than the other. But other than that, her posture seems fine.

It has!! I have congenital postural kyphosis, which means my back is more arched than normal and therefore my posture has been very bad for years. I go to a physiotherapy center twice a week and do Pilates twice a week too, I've improved a lot but it's gonna take me years until my spine is normal. The worst thing is that A LOT of people have problems like this and they don't notice because the only "symptoms" are a bad position and occasional back pain, I didn't know it until a doctor asked for a thoracic X-ray.

If one of your hips is higher than the other you probably have or are going to have scoliosis, whichs means if you look at your spine head-on, it's bended at some level (it should be straight). You should ask a physician because if you're young you can still do something about it. Scoliosis doesn't affect posture.

 

[Irene_A]

will lack of core muscle stregnth effect youre posture? if so, this is probably why i slouch like hell

It does, the purpose of most of the exercises I do at Pilates is to strengthen them so that I can stand straight without having to make a big conscious effort.

 

[Erin]

Let's face it - sometimes it takes some energy to have good posture. ESPECIALLY when sitting at the computer. It's so much easier to slouch over!

 

[stacyyyy]

my posture is awful.i go through stages of really wanting it to improve.il try doing the corpse position everyday.when i went through my yoga stage it was suprising how much my posture improved,even if it was only for a few hours after each time i did posture.i really should start working on it again though

 

[*Happiness*]

The title of this thread made me sit up straight!

 

[notmanons]

Hi my name is Kushie and I am 12 years old,
Watching supermodels on the runway, gymnasts on the floor excerise, ballerinas doing their moves has really given me the positive site of good posture, I must admit my posture is much better, I can walk in high heels (never in public) and It is quite embaressing for me as I have a perfect posture so when I walk I am compared to those slouchy back girls in my year but it gives me confidence. Practise walking like you're on the runway, it helped me a lot. PLUS yoga is your best friend.

XXX Kushie

 

[_ladybug_]

how I got my good posture - 8 yrs in a private school with nuns

 

[Bluestar07]

Let's face it - sometimes it takes some energy to have good posture. ESPECIALLY when sitting at the computer. It's so much easier to slouch over!

Yeah it does! That's why you use up more energy when you're standing / sitting in proper posture.

Irene_A oh dear! I hope your condition gets corrected soon ... I'm sure it will with the physio and pilates. Your'e right ... it's sad that many people are not aware of these sort of things. Mine is very slight ... noticeable only when I'm wearing leotards or a skirt that sits low on my hip.

 

[Irene_A]

Thanks! That's very nice of you.

 

[chip45]

Man, I slouch so much. I think this was because I was always taller than my peers from such a young age. When I was about 5 years old my mum enrolled me in ballet school and I did ballet for 6 years, but it didn't help my slouching at all. Grrr! Now I have to conciously tell myself to relax my shoulders, and I stand sideways in front of the bathroom mirror and check out the best way to hold my self so I don't slouch Still, needless to say, I am a serial sloucher Maybe I have some self-esteem issues I am not aware of.

 

[Lara_L]

I did ballet and gymnastics for years and years, but now that ive stopped ive become really lazy and my posture is shocking. Ive even been asked if im pregnant! But when i stand up straight- shoulders back, back nice and straight, my tummy goes away and i look normal again

 

[silk skin paws]

I use to slouch a lot while growing up (since I was taller than half the kids my age). My mom complained that slouching is very bad for growing kids/ and over all posture. At first it was difficult to break myself out of slouching. But with practice I did. It can be done.

 

[dsq]

from http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/Postureperfect+Trainer+tips/Home/ContentPosting_TransCon.aspx?isfa=1&newsitemid=233475&feedname=TRANS-ELLECANADA&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc

Posture-perfect: Trainer tips

Bare backs are back! An expert trainer gives you the scoop on how to look your best.

by Nancy Lepatourel (ellecanada.com)

To dazzle in a classic design such as this cut-out from Narciso Rodriguez, your posture is more important than the condition of specific body parts. "To stand tall, we need to work against what we do all day -- which is usually sitting hunched over our computers," says Marci Figuer, one of Toronto's best-known personal trainers. A Stott pilates instructor and former professional ballet and jazz dancer, Figuer is an expert on posture. To make sure you're standing tall, Figuer suggests doing the following spine series three times a day in your office. It takes just a couple of minutes and the only equipment you need is a towel.
TRY Extension of the spine to counteract daily forward flexion.
•Hold a towel behind your back, keeping arms long and palms facing back. Create tension by pulling out and back, using the towel.
•Exhale as you move your arms and towel away from the body, lifting chest to ceiling.
•Hold for four counts, then return to a neutral position.
•Repeat five times.

TRY Shoulder roll to release tension.
•Keeping arms at your sides, slowly
roll shoulders back 10 times, then forward. Focus on relaxing and lowering shoulders throughout movement.

TRY Half moon as a side stretch.
•Stand tall and bring both arms overhead. Keeping arms straight, interlock fingers.
•Exhale and, without moving hips, lean to the right. Hold for four counts. Inhale and return to neutral position.
•Repeat on the left.
•Continue moving side to side until each side has been stretched four times.

To make sure you're standing tall the night of your event, Figuer says to focus on keeping your abs engaged throughout the evening. Everything starts from the abs and if they're tight, chances are your posture will be great. Throughout the night, give yourself little reminders to keep your chest lifted and your shoulders down and back.

Photo courtesy of Marcio Madeira


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