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When it comes to posture, it's time to straighten up

 
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Published June 22, 2017

Forward head, slumping shoulders, tilted pelvis. Sound like the Hunchback of Notre Dame in 15th century Paris?

Maybe, or just your average Joe and Jane glued to cellphones and computer monitors in the 21st century.

We're talking about modern-day posture and what it means not so much aesthetically but functionally for the body.

"Bad posture can contribute to things like disc herniation, pinched nerves, tingling, arthritic changes in the joints and tissue getting shorter and tighter," says Haim Hechtman, a doctor of physical therapy and co-founder of Point Performance, a physical therapy practice in Bethesda, Md.

"Bad posture wears down the body faster than it should," says Ben Fidler, a Washington, D.C., personal trainer.

The wearing-down can lead to pain as the body fights to compensate for imbalances while remaining as upright as possible.

Fidler's suggestions for improving general posture:

• Roll the shoulders back and bring the head back to align with the spine.

• Brace through the core.

• Squeeze the gluteus to create pelvic stability while keeping a neutral lower spine.

To support these improvements, Fidler suggests mixing plank and bridge poses into your exercise routine, as well as two-arm rows using a TRX strap. But even with such exercises, if poor habits are so ingrained that you no longer know what it feels like to stand up straight, improvement is easier said than done.

"Our perception of what neutral or good posture is differs from reality," Hechtman says, adding that the longer we have poor posture, the harder it is to correct.

Naomi Abrams, an occupational therapist, ergonomics expert and author, says that most people have a poor perception of their own posture and could use some expert help. But if it's not available, she recommends having a friend take a picture of you at your sitting or standing desk to see how your shoulders align over your hips and where your head is compared with the rest of your spine.

As for the workspace, she recommends bringing work tools closer.

Her other recommendations:

• Sit farther back into the chair.

• Keep your wrists straight and fingers floating over the keyboard (like a piano player).

• Place the keyboard so that your elbows can draw back toward the side of your ribs.

• Place the monitor at a height that allows your neck and gaze to stay straight.

Gabriella Boston is a fitness trainer and freelance writer.