Good posture 101: How to know when your spine and back are properly aligned

Always suffering from endless back pain? Your desk chair might be the culprit. In fact, more than 80 percent of adults will experience lower back pain sometime during their lives, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Since back pain is so commonplace, taking the proper steps to prevent flare-ups or further pain is necessary. Start with an activity you do every day, like slouching at your desk.

What does good posture look like?

Shouts of “sit up straight,” have been ingrained into us as children, but it’s a good image to have when thinking of good posture. If your body was held together by a single chord vertically, when it’s pulled taut, your body would be properly aligned. To build upon this image, your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles should be aligned vertically. Making sure your pelvis is level and you’re sitting tall will help alleviate the pain that builds up over time in your lower back.

How else can I improve my posture?

Sitting up straight isn’t the only way to make sure your lower back remains strong and pain-free for years to come. There are simple exercises and stretches you can use to make sure that your lower back feels supported for those long hours you spend sitting each day. Thirteen different studies found that sitting with no physical activity eight hours a day leads to a higher risk of dying from obesity and smoking.

First, consider taking the time to get up and move around. Experts recommend taking a break from sitting every 30 minutes. This could be as simple as standing up to answer a phone call or walking to the water cooler for a short break and to rehydrate. Experts say that you can successfully counteract eight hours of sitting by working out for 60 to 75 minutes a day.

When it comes to back pain, it can prolong your workdays and make them feel longer than 8 hours (and who wants to suffer from that?). Get the help that you need to make your job seem less sufferable by consulting with our professional chiropractors about posture today.