 Fig. 1 - This is good posture.  Fig. 2 - Habitual bad posture can cause curvature of the spine. |
One of your first impressions of a person is based on her posture. You can often gauge something of the physical and mental health of a person by the way she stands or sits or walks. A slumping posture can mean many things. The person may be ill or ill at ease; she may be tired or depressed; she may need food or she may crave attention. The person who holds herself comfortably erect and walks with a brisk, steady gait will usually give an impression of confidence and well-being. Stand Tall. If you look at a person in erect standing position, you can imagine that a line dropped from the tip of the ear would pass through the shoulder, the center of the hip, and the middle of the anklebone (fig. 1) . The pelvic girdle is not tilted forward, and the ankles trun neither in nor out. The chest is lifted, and the abdomen is flat. When you stand erect, you should feel tall, with the top of your head pulling away from the soles of your feet. "Throwing back your shoulders" is an exaggerated approach to good posture. "Sucking in your abdomen and throwing out your chest" usually results in stiff, tiring posture, which may be as bad as the slouch it is intended to correct. Walk Smoothly. Smooth walking is done with a steady rhythm; muscles contract gently and then relax. Sudden jerky movements, tense muscles, and poor balance are indications of some difficulty which should be found and corrected. In walking, keep the toes pointed staight ahead. The weight should come first on the heel and last on the ball of the foot. Heels and shoes worn down on the inside or on the outside show that the foot is not being used correctly. Sit Gracefully. The trunk and head are erect and centered over the pelvis or tilted slightly forward in correct sitting position. The hips and knees are bent at right angles. A good chair has an opening at the back of the seat and gives support to the upper back. It is low enough to leave an inch between the seat and the knee when the feet rest flat on the floor. Sleep On A Firm Bed. A sagging bed allows the muscles and ligaments of the upper side of the body to relax but stretches those on the opposite side and tends to push the abdominal organs out of place. It is important when selecting a mattress to make sure it is firm and large enough to support your entire body. Improving Posture. The first step in improving posture is to find the cause of the poor posture. Is your bed too soft? Is your chair too high or too low? Are your clothes and shoes uncomfortable? Poor muscle tonus results in poor posture and is often due to lack of exercise and sleep, a poor diet, or illness. Standing tall is usually a sign of self confidence; slumping posture may indicate lack of it. It is important that a person have a comfortable feeling about himself. if you think you are too tall, remember that you are more pleasant to look at when you stand straight than when you stoop over. For most people, good posture is possible if they will learn how it feels to hold the body correctly and then concentrate on how they sit, stand, and walk. it takes a long time to develop poor posture and just as long to correct it (fig. 2).
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