Sit Pretty

Posted In: Fitness : 11/23/2011

Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle

You were told as a child: “Sit up straight!” and “Don’t slouch!”  Did you ever listen? 

What about now…do those commands still ring in your thoughts as you are working at the office or sitting at dinner? 

After all, who really cares about posture anyways (besides your grandma and your grade school teacher)? 

Well, the truth is that YOU should care because good posture…

• helps us to use our muscles correctly by keeping our bones and joints in alignment
• lessens our chances of injury because it reduces stress placed on our ligaments that hold our spinal joints together.
• aids in preventing muscle fatigue because good posture helps muscles to work more efficiently, therefore less energy is expended.
• helps to prevent all of the following: muscle strain, overuse disorders, and back and muscular pain.

In case you have forgotten or never really learned all the great posture pointers, check out these steps for sitting posture that will be sure to help you feel better and impress your co-workers!

• Keep feet flat on the floor.
• Keep ankles in front of your knees.  Avoid crossing your legs.
• Leave some space between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
• Keep your knees at or below the level of your hips.
• Adjust the backrest of your chair to support your lower and mid back.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your forearms parallel to the ground.
• Try not to sit in the same position for too long.

Source: “Tips to Maintain Good Posture.”  ACA Today.  . 

Tags: healthy tips, wellness

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