Could Good Posture Be the Secret for Getting Rid of Back Pain?

If you’ve experienced the twinges of back pain, you certainly aren’t alone. Back pain is one of the most frequent causes of missed days of work and medical appointments. Although you may think medications and surgery are your only options, you may want to pay closer attention to your posture. Having good posture can make a world of difference when it comes to keeping your back healthy.

Read More: Exercise: A Quick Fix for Lower Back Pain

Why Good Posture Matters

When you hunch over while standing or lean forward in your chair when sitting, you disrupt your body’s center of gravity. This, in turn, puts more stress on the ligaments, muscles and vertebrae in your lower back.

“Over time, slumping or otherwise having poor posture can lead to spine misalignment, putting you at an increased risk of injury,” says Mary Descaro, clinical lead physical therapist at Beaufort Memorial Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. “Poor posture can also make you less flexible, put strain on your joints and cause pain in other parts of the body, including your neck, shoulder and head.”

What Good Posture Looks Like

There are two types of posture — dynamic posture, which is how you hold your body when you’re moving, and static posture, which is your body’s position when you’re sitting, standing or lying down.

For good standing posture, stand up straight with your shoulders held back and keep your head level and straight with your chin parallel to the floor. To master the correct position, pull in your abdominal muscles, keep your knees slightly bent and let your arms hang naturally at your side. Your body weight should be evenly distributed over your feet, hips and knees. You’ll want to maintain a similar posture while walking, too.

For good sitting posture, sit with your back straight and your shoulders held back. Your knees should be even with or slightly higher than your hips. The balls of your feet should be flat on the floor, and your body weight should be evenly disrupted on both hips.

Read More: Coping With Chronic Back Pain

How to Improve Your Posture

Even if you’ve had poor posture for as long as you can remember, you can train yourself to maintain better posture. Know your posture could use a boost, but aren’t quite sure where to even begin?

These tips can point you in the right direction:

• Consider your leg position. To keep yourself properly aligned while sitting, don’t cross your legs. You can’t keep both your feet flat when one of them is in the air! Crossing your legs also puts more weight on one hip than the other.
• Use an aid to fix your sitting positions. When you sit at a desk chair, put a pillow behind your back. A supportive lumbar pillow can help you maintain the natural curves in your spine while you’re seated.
• Switch things up. Don’t attempt to maintain the same position for long periods of time. If you can, get up and move around every 30 minutes.
• Consider physical therapy. A physical therapist can step you through some basic stretches and movements to improve how you stand, sit and move. Because poor posture habits can sneak into your exercise routine, you may also benefit from guidance about how to perform basic movements correctly.
• Watch how you sit in the car. You probably haven’t thought about your posture while driving, but many of us lean forward or backward as we drive. Adjust the position of your seat so you can sit comfortably close to the steering wheel, with your seat at about a 30-degree angle. Your arms should feel relaxed on the steering wheel, not like you’re reaching. On long trips, use cruise control so your feet can stay flat on the floor.

Maintaining good posture does more than reduce back pain. When you take steps to improve how you sit and stand, you may also notice you have better balance, an easier time breathing and even fewer digestive issues. So, sit up and take notice! Better posture can have long-lasting impacts on your overall health.

Need to improve your posture at work? Check out our infographic on good ergonomics and how to set up your workstation to reduce back, hand and wrist pain.

Have practically perfect posture but still experiencing back pain? Find a spine specialist who can help.