When we were kids, many of us ignored our parents telling us to stand up straight, but having good posture is really important for several reasons. Besides not liking the look of rounded shoulders and a hunched back, maintaining good posture can greatly impact your health and mobility as you age.
It’s crucial to hold your body right—whether you’re walking, sitting, standing, or even sleeping—to lower your chances of pain, injury, and other health issues. Ideally, you should maintain the three natural curves of your spine: at your neck, mid-back, and lower back. Simply put, aim to have your head above your shoulders and the top of your shoulders over your hips.
This can be tricky, especially if you’re hunched over a computer all day or always rushing around. So, we chatted with some spinal specialists about how they keep their posture in check even with busy schedules. Here’s what they do.
To set a good example for his patients, Dr. Rahul Shah, an orthopedic spine surgeon, incorporates a mix of cardio and strength training workouts multiple times a week. He finds that these exercises boost his endurance and help his muscles work together efficiently. This allows him to maintain his posture naturally, minimizing strain while focusing on his clinical tasks. He prefers rowing for cardio and does exercises like squats, bench presses, and overhead presses to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
Dr. Mara Vucich, a physiatrist, also emphasizes regular exercise for spine health. She likes yoga and Pilates to strengthen her upper back, lower back, and core muscles. Vucich also engages in exercises that open up the chest and stretch the shoulders, as well as hip-opening exercises, because these areas can get tight from frequent sitting.
For Marissa Prezzano, an occupational therapist, mental check-ins throughout the day help her maintain good posture. She practices mindfulness to assess whether she’s in the best position, both when sitting and standing. When working on her computer, Prezzano regularly reminds herself to relax her jaw, shoulders, and sit upright. With time, these habits have become second nature.
Dr. Vucich similarly does mental check-ins to evaluate her posture. She encourages her patients to do the same and some even set phone reminders to go off every 30 minutes.
Dr. Harvey Smith, an orthopedic surgery professor, highlights that good posture is also important while sitting. He advises maintaining the natural arch in the lower back and checking periodically to ensure your shoulders are back and you’re looking straight ahead. Adjusting the height of your computer monitor or the position of your keyboard might help if you’re struggling with this.
Smith also suggests adjusting your chair so that your feet are firmly on the ground, either under or slightly behind your knees. If your feet are too far in front, it can lead to slouching. Overall, making small tweaks to your workspace can gradually improve your posture over time.
