The holidays are behind us and it is prime time for New Year Resolutions. The trouble with those, as we all know only too well, is that they have the habit of not sticking for long…
Depressing? Well, it doesn’t have to be! Here is one resolution that won’t require much of you, can be done anywhere and everywhere and can bring profound changes to your body and well being! Ready? Here it comes - Pay attention to your posure!
Poor posture is often caused by everyday activities such as sitting, staring at computers and hand-held screens, carrying a bag over the same shoulder, driving, caring for small children and even sleeping in awkward positions. As we repeat these activities many times and for long periods, poor posture becomes second nature, causing and aggravating all sorts of bodily pains as well as affecting normal function of the internal organs. Fortunately, the main factors affecting posture are completely within one's ability to control and are not difficult to change.
The following simple tips can help you improve posture and, as a result, help restore balance and function in your joints and muscles:
Stand on two feet
The feet are the foundation of our posture. They are meant to be supple, strong and adaptable so they can carry us around safely and quickly through different terrains. Unfortunately, we tend to stand mostly on one foot instead of distributing the body weight evenly between both feet. This fact, combined with subtle twists in the pelvis, mean that our feet are hardly ever in a “neutral” position, which is crucial for optimal function.
Get into a habit of ticking the boxes below as many times during the day as possible.
- Feet parallel to each other - all 10 toes pointing directly forward
- Feet about hip width apart
- Even weight on both feet
Place your pelvis above your heels
Life is tiring… and so when we stand up we tend to allow the pelvis to “drop forward” in front of the heels. Simply shift your pelvis back to the point that you feel yourself standing on the heels (or just in front of the heels) and you can easily wiggle your toes about. This will alleviate pressure from your lower back and will re-organise your spine, shoulders and neck naturally and effortlessly.
Check that you are symmetrical
Standing and walking with a twist through the body leads to joint and muscle imbalances and to exacerbated wear and tear in specific points in the joints. Imagine you have lights shining from your knees, hip bones, shoulders and eyes; and make sure all of these lights are shining directly forward as much as you can.
We hope these tips will help you carry yourself better and set you on the path to health and well-being.