Many of us grew up with parents and other adults who admonished us on a regular basis to “stand up straight” and to keep our heads up and our shoulders back. As adults ourselves, many of us end up falling prey to poor posture habits such as hunching our shoulders, slouching in chairs, or resting out weight on one hip.

Unfortunately, the older we get the more of an impact poor posture has on our overall health, and the more likely we are to suffer back and neck pain. Our parents were right – good posture should begin when you are young, but it is never too late to correct bad habits. The following outlines five ways poor posture can impact your health, as well as ways you can correct the problem.

Impacts Of Poor Posture

When you sit with your shoulders hunched or stand in a bad position, you often feel the effects immediately. Pain in the back, neck, and shoulders and tingling in the arms, hands, legs, and feet due to poor posture is common, but it can have impacts on other body organs and functions as well. The following are five lesser known ways which Prevention states that poor posture can impact your health:

1. Sitting hunched up squashes the intestines, which can result in sluggish digestion;
2. Being a ‘couch potato’ or sitting at a desk for extended periods can increase the risk for heart disease and diabetes;
3. Keeping your head down and your shoulders hunched forward can deepen depression;
4. Sitting with your legs crossed or tucked under you can cut off circulation, making varicose veins and blockages more likely;
5. Standing tall increases your confidence and decreases anxiety. Poor posture is associated with higher cortisol levels, which can increase your overall stress levels.

Tips To Improve Your Posture

Substituting poor posture with core strengthening exercises and good habits can result in a marked difference in how you feel. To ensure you are standing or sitting correctly, Harvard Medical School recommends the following:

When standing:

• Keep your chin parallel to the floor;
• Roll your shoulders up, back, and down;
• Keep your arms at your sides, and your hips aligned;
• Brace your abdominal muscles and distribute body weight evenly on both feet.

When sitting:

• Continue to keep head up and chin parallel to the floor;
• Shoulders, hips, and knees should all be at an even height with each other;
• Feet and knees should be pointed start ahead.

To find out more about how to strengthen your body and improve your posture and overall health, contact Care Family Medical and Chiropractic at our Tulsa office today.