Learning how to improve posture is just as important as doing regular mobility exercises. You may think if you can stand or sit up straight that you have great posture, but actually there’s so much more to it than that. Good posture is all about the way in which you hold your body; it’s important for our long-term health and can prevent injuries, pain and other health conditions.
Classic signs of bad posture include:
• Slouching when sat down
• Hunching of the back and shoulders (kyphosis)
• Sticking your bottom out (also known as the ‘Donald Duck posture’)
• Leaning on one leg when stood
• Neck and back pain and reoccurring headaches
We look at how you can improve your posture with some simple exercises, as well as the different types.
What is posture?
Posture is the way in which you hold your body while standing, sitting or moving. There are two types of posture:
Static - this is the way you hold yourself when you’re not moving, such as sleeping or sitting down.
Dynamic - this is the way you hold yourself while moving about.
How can posture affect my health?
In more ways than you think! Poor posture can cause neck, shoulder and back pain; affect your balance, cause spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, make it more difficult to breathe, decrease your flexibility and make it harder to digest food.
You may be affected by Forward Head Posture (FHP). This is when your head leans forwards out of a neutral alignment with your spine and often comes with rounded shoulders.
How to improve your posture
From posture correctors to stretches and gentle exercises, there are many ways to improve your posture.
How to improve posture while sitting
If you’re someone who’s sat down a lot, whether it’s leisurely or for work, consider the below advice to help improve your posture:
• Make sure your back is supported - if you’re sat at a desk particularly, make sure you have a chair where you can adjust the height, back position and tilt, as this will reduce back pain. It's worth investing in some chair back support if you often sitting down or working at a desk.
• Keep your feet on the floor - if your feet can’t touch the floor, use a foot rest. Try not to be tempted to cross your legs though, as this can lead to other posture-related problems.
• Take breaks - make sure you break down long periods of sitting down time to avoid sitting in the same position for too long. It could be a short walk or a few minutes stretching. Short frequent breaks are better than fewer longer ones.
How to improve posture while standing up
Here are some tips on how to improve back posture:
•Keep your shoulders back
•Keep your feet roughly shoulder-width apart
•Make sure your head is level (you’re not tilting your head too far back or forwards)
•Stand up tall and straight
How to improve posture while sleeping
•Choose a mattress that's not too hard and uncomfortable, but equally not overly soft
•Consider replacing your mattress every 6 to 8 years
•Invest in a pillow to support your neck curvature
•Don't pile pillows high as this can cause strain
•Keep pillows aligned with the chest and lower back
How to improve posture: back pain
If you've got back pain you should try sleeping on your back with a small towel rolled up and placed under your knees. This will relieve some of the strain on your spine which may be causing you discomfort.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach if you've got back pain as this puts pressure on your neck and can make your spine become out of position.
If you prefer to sleep on your side, pulling your knees up slightly forward to your chest and placing a firm pillow between them can help to keep your spine aligned and straight.
Try adding a mattress topper to your bed if your mattress is quite firm and you can't replace it.
Exercises to improve posture
Chair slouching
Slouching in a chair may not always lead to pain (as it can sometimes feel quite comfy) but it can put tension on your muscles. To improve this try these exercises:
**•**Bridges
**•**Back extensions
**•**Plank
Sticking your bottom out (‘Donald Duck posture’)
You may have a curve in your lower back that causes this, but other things that can contribute are excessive weight around the stomach area, wearing high heels and pregnancy. Exercises that can help include:
•Plank
•Side lying leg raises
•Hip flexor stretches
Leaning on one leg
A lot of us when standing are guilty or doing this (dropping one hip down and putting our leg on one side of our leg). But it actually puts a lot of pressure on one side of our lower back and hip, instead of using our glutes and core to keep us upright. Overtime, it can lead to muscle imbalances and pain. To avoid, get into the habit of distributing your weight evenly on both legs and try the below:
•Bridges
•Side lying leg raises
•Plank
Rounded shoulders and hunched back
This is typical if you’re sat at a desk for a long time, but it can also be caused by hunching over on your mobile phone too. Exercises to help improve posture include:
• Seated rows in the gym
•Chest stretches
•Lengthening your neck upwards and tucking your chin in
•Plank
•Bridges
Posture stretches
Give these five stretches a go to improve your posture. They're perfect for if you need to move about having sat down all day and takes less than nine minutes to complete.
Bryony Firth-Bernard has contributed to various Bauer Media brands such as Yours and What’s The Best as a Health and Fitness Product Writer since 2022. Having previously sat on the editorial team for Mother&Baby and Yours as a Digital Writer, she is now pursuing her passion for fitness further at T3.com as an Active Writer.