Stand up straight, sit up straight, don’t cross your legs, don’t slouch, take your hands out of your pockets … these are all things most of us were told by well-meaning adults while growing up. Their goal was to teach us to behave and present ourselves in a polite manner, but it turns out that good posture also plays a role in senior health.
If you’ve been letting your posture slip, here are three reasons why you might to make it a priority.
1. Better Lung Capacity
Your lungs need room to expand as you breathe in, and good posture makes this possible. Bad posture, on the other hand, impedes your lungs.
Try slouching over and breathing in as deeply as you can, and exhale. Now sit up straight and do this again. Chances are, you were more comfortable and took a deeper breath while you were sitting up straighter. When you were slouched, your chest was squeezing down on your lungs, but when you were up straight, your lungs were able to expand as they should.
The harder it is for you to breathe, the more effort it takes. This is particularly important if you have any problems breathing, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
2. Less Back and Neck Pain
Do you have back or neck pain? Often this is the result of stress, but it’s important to also take a look at your posture. Pain in your lower, mid- and upper back could the result of pushing your shoulders unnaturally forward or standing unevenly (leaning hard to one side).
If you are in the habit of crossing your legs when you’re seated, this can shift your pelvis (one side will be higher than the other) and can cause lower back pain.
And if you are constantly looking down—a result of slouching or using electronic devices, this could be the culprit behind your seemingly incessant neck pain.
3. Reduced Joint Pain
Think about what your posture is like when you’re standing. Some of us tend to lean heavily on one side when we’re standing in line or just chatting with someone. This puts your body out of alignment and may put extra pressure on your hip and knee, causing pain.
Instead, focus on distributing your weight evenly, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back and imagine your head over your heart and your heart over your pelvis.
What can you do if you’ve let your posture go? Here some tips:
- Exercise. The trick to regaining a straight back is muscle strength—especially in your core. If haven’t exercised in a while, speak with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.
- Focus on flexibility. Stretching and doing activities like yoga can help you increase your flexibility and balance, which naturally improves posture (and is also great for brain health!)
- Watch how you sit. Whenever possible, make sure you have ergonomic seating. If you’re using a computer at a desk, sit up straight with your hands at a comfortable level at the keyboard. Don’t slouch or shift all your weight to one side, and keep both feet flat on the floor. When sitting on a chair or couch watching TV or reading, don’t tuck your feet underneath you. Your legs should be in front of you, below hip level. When using a laptop, tablet or smartphone, pay special attention to your neck. Bending your neck for extended periods can affect your overall posture.
- Look in the mirror. Are you standing up straight? If not, try to be conscious of how you’re standing and correct yourself if you find that you’re slumping over. By keeping posture top of mind and changing your habits, you’ll find good posture eventually becomes second nature.
You may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist (PT) if you find it hard to regain good posture on your own. A PT can assess your posture and give you some exercises to help you regain muscle strength. Good posture may take some work, but the benefits far outweigh the challenge of retraining your body.
Focusing on health from every angle will help you enjoy independence long into retirement. To learn more about staying independent as you age, check out our free guide, Aging in Place: A Popular Trend for a New Generation of Seniors.
