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What is Posture?
Posture is the position in which your body, your arms and legs are positioned when standing, sitting and lying down. A good posture will cause less amount of strain on the spinal column in standing, sitting and lying positions.
Good posture:
- -Enables muscle acitivity with less strain on the bones, joints, ligaments and discs
- -Enables the physiological curves of the spine to maintain their normal positions
- -Facilitates less energy consumption
- -Protects against back, neck and lumbar pain
- -Is more esthetic
Three main requirements of achieving a good posture:muscular strength, physical condition and awareness. Physical exercises help for the first two. Awareness can be practiced with mirror exercises.
What is the ideal standing position?
- -Head straight and looking directly forwards
- -Shoulders back
- -Chest forward
- -Stomach in
- -Knees straight
If you must maintain hold a standing posture for a long time, place one leg on a step that is slightly higher. Occasional movement or sitting down and relaxing also reduces the strain on your spine.
What is the ideal sitting position?
- Back straight
- Lean on the high backrest on your chair. Stretch your arms forwards. Move the chair close to the table instead of leaning forwards
- Feet touching the floor
- Legs not crossed
- Shoulders relaxed. Do not move them upwards or forwards.
- The monitor should be at eye level. Set the height of your chair accordingly.
- Lower back should be filled and supported. Choose a suitable chair accordingly or pad the lumbar area with a cushion.
If you have to keep the sitting postion for a long time, stand up every 30 minutes and move your muscles.
What is the ideal lying position?
- Maintain the physiological contours of your body.
- Put a cushion under your head that is not too high.
- Put a low cushion under your knees.
- When lying on your side, slightly bend both legs and put a cushion between your legs.