Body posture is how you sit, sleep, or stand. Good posture is when your body is positioned correctly and the bodyweight is evenly balanced so that the muscles, skeleton, and ligaments are not strained or overstretched. 

Having a good posture helps strengthen your muscles and improves flexibility and body balance. It also reduces stress or tension on your muscles and ligaments and prevents them from overstretching or mechanical injuries. 

Often, in people suffering from backache, the reason is as simple as a bad posture. So, it is very important to correct your posture and reduce the risk of back pain. Here are some easy tips to correct your posture.

Tips to Correct Your Posture

1. Correct your posture while standing.

  • You should stand with your feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart.

  • Stand tall, like a string is pulling upward from your head, and relax your arms by your sides.

  • Pull your belly button or navel gently toward your spine and also keep your chin parallel with the floor.

2. Correct your posture while sitting.

  • You should keep your back straight and shoulders pulled back.

  • Keep your feet flat on the floor and do not cross your legs.

  • You can rest your forearms on the table and keep your shoulders pulled back.

  • Keep your ears aligned with your collarbone.


 3. Correct your posture while sleeping. 

  • You should maintain a good posture while sleeping or lying down to reduce the risk of back pain. 

  • Make sure to avoid twisting at the waist and keep the spine aligned. 

  • You can place a pillow between or underneath the legs to help relieve back pain. 

  • You should avoid sleeping on your stomach because this position makes the neck twist, putting excessive stress or pressure on the neck, shoulders, and back.

 4. Exercise to reduce back pain and to improve posture.

  • Bridges: This exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal and gluteal muscles that help in reducing the excess stress in the back. 

    • To do bridges, lie on your back with knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips while keeping your core and glutes (buttocks muscles) engaged. The lower back and hips should be raised off the ground and then gently lowered down to the starting position.

  • Plank: This pose helps to correct your posture by strengthening the muscles of your neck, back, core, glutes and hamstrings. 

    • To do planks, get down to your knees and hands while aligning your knees with your buttocks and your hands with shoulders. Then lift your heels, straighten your legs, and come onto the balls of the feet. Your body should be in a straight line. Keep your shoulders pulled back and chest open. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

  • Child Pose: This pose can be used as a stretching pose as it opens the hip and lengthens the lower back. 

    • To do the child pose, get down onto your knees and hands and gently lean forward until your forehead touches the floor while your hands are either extended forward or rested on the side. Inhale into the back of your rib cage and waist. Relax in this pose for up to 5 minutes while continuing to breathe deeply.


5. Follow a healthy diet with adequate supplementation.

In older women, back pain could be due calcium or Vitamin D deficiency. So it is important to have a balanced diet with appropriate nutritional supplementation. Add calcium-rich food items such as milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, lentils, and leafy greens to your diet.

Having a good posture is more than just looks. A good posture can alleviate muscle tension and reduce back pain. It can improve digestion, circulation, respiration, flexibility, and body balance. 

As you begin the posture correction process, you may feel or sense a greater awareness towards your body and it’s posture i.e., you may begin to notice tiny areas/regions of muscle soreness and tightness and become more heedful of the problematic areas in the body. Over time, your body will learn to correct bad posture naturally.


Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.