What Good Posture Looks Like and 9 Ways to Improve Yours
Nov 29, 2024
Good posture benefits almost every aspect of our health and well-being, yet many of us struggle to achieve and maintain it daily. This is often because we don't know what good posture looks like or realize that our posture is off until we start to feel pain. For example, you may sit at a desk all day, working in an awkward position on your computer. Not only will this affect your productivity, but it can lead to neck and shoulder pain and even debilitating headaches. Over time, you may find these symptoms becoming worse and worse until you can barely function. If you were to look at your posture right now, you’d probably see some significant deviations from what good posture looks like. Knowing the key elements of good posture can help you figure out how to get back on track. This article will outline precisely what good posture looks like so you can get an idea of what to aim for in your posture exercises.
Posture AI's posture correction app can help you achieve your goals by providing personalized insights and feedback on your posture to help you improve.
Table of Contents
What Good Posture Looks Like and Why It Is Important?
Posture is the position of your body when you’re standing or sitting. It describes how your spine is aligned with your head, shoulders, and hips. There’s no “perfect” posture, just as no perfect bodies exist. Good posture refers to having a neutral spine, where your muscle groups, joints, and ligaments are aligned in a way that reduces stress on them, keeps your body flexible, reduces fatigue, and helps maintain your balance. If your posture is out of alignment, it can lead to:
Muscle or joint strain
Neck
Head
Back pain
This is a possible injury during exercise, work, or other activities. Bad or out-of-alignment posture is standard. It can affect your:
Appearance
Self-confidence
General well-being
The good news is that you can improve your posture with exercises and, if necessary, posture aids.
The Benefits of Good Posture
Good posture can make you look taller and more attractive by helping you achieve an aligned, balanced appearance. It can also reduce muscle strain and fatigue, so you feel better physically. Good posture can even improve your mood. In one small study, researchers found that participants who practiced good posture while sitting at a computer reported feeling less stressed and more confident than those who sat in slouched positions. Maintaining an aligned posture helps your body function better. Reducing pressure on your organs can improve breathing and digestion.
Types of Poor Posture
It’s easy to develop a bad posture habit without thinking about it. You may spend a long time leaning over a small screen, reclining in a chair, or carrying a heavy backpack when you walk. Or you may use repetitive motions in your workplace. After a while, all of these factors can lead to bad posture. Being overweight or pregnant, or wearing poor quality shoes or high heels, can also lead you to develop bad posture. You may be born with scoliosis (an abnormally curved spine) or one leg shorter than the other, which can affect your posture. Here are four common types of poor posture.
Forward Head Posture
Forward head posture is when your head is positioned with your ears in front of the vertical midline of your body. If your body is in alignment, your ears and shoulders will be lined up with your vertical midline. Tech neck, text neck, and nerd neck are other names for forward head posture. It often comes from hunching over a cell phone, computer, or steering wheel if you drive a lot. It can also result from aging, as you lose muscle strength in your upper body.
Kyphosis
Kyphosis refers to an exaggerated curvature of your upper back (the thoracic spine) where the shoulders are rounded forward. It’s also called hunchback. Osteoporosis (bone thinning) can cause the shoulders to round as your spinal bones weaken with age. It’s frequently seen in older women. Other age-related causes include degeneration of your spinal disks or vertebrae. Younger persons may develop kyphosis as a result of diseases such as polio or Scheuermann’s disease, infection, or chemotherapy or radiation to treat cancer.
Swayback
Swayback, lordosis, or hyperlordosis, is when your hips and pelvis tilt forward in front of your body’s midline. In this position, your lower back has an exaggerated inward curve. You look like you’re leaning back when standing up, with my stomach and rear sticking out. You can develop swayback if you sit a lot, which tightens the muscles in your back. Sitting for prolonged periods can also weaken my abdominal muscles and glutes. In both cases, the core muscles that stabilize my back become weak.
Other causes may be:
Obesity
Injury
Neuromuscular conditions
Abnormalities of your spine and vertebrae
Flatback
Flatback is a condition where the normal curve of your lower spine loses some of its curvature. Your lower back looks straight, and you stoop forward. It can be present at birth or result from some kinds of back surgery or degenerative conditions of the spine, including:
Ankylosing spondylitis (inflammatory arthritis)
Disc degeneration
Vertebrae compression
Flatback can make it painful for you to stand for long periods.
Other Types of Posture
You are poking chin. Sitting in a chair that’s too low and leaning forward to see your screen or looking up at a screen that’s placed too high can result in a chin that pokes forward—uneven shoulders or hips. You may tilt to one side when you stand if one leg is longer than the other. It may also affect your gait—military-style posture. Here, your back is ramrod straight, and your chest is thrust forward.
Can I Tell If I Have Poor Posture?
You can perform a simple self-assessment to determine if your posture is off. Stand up straight and have someone photograph you from the front and side. Look at your alignment in the photos.
If you notice any of the following issues, you may have poor posture:
1. Front View
One shoulder or collarbone is higher than the other.
One hip appears higher than the other.
One leg looks more extended than the other.
Your head is tilted to one side.
2. Side View
Your head is jutting forward.
Your shoulders are rounded or hunched.
There is a large gap between your arm and body.
Your lower back is excessively arched or tucked under.
Your hips are rotated forward or backward.
Your knee appears locked or hyperextended.
Poor posture can lead to muscle imbalances that cause discomfort and pain. Correcting your posture can help alleviate these issues and restore balance to your body.
What Does Good Posture Look Like?
Standing Posture
A natural “S” shaped curve of the spine should be present when standing up straight. There are a few ways to help maintain these two curves.
Keep a slight bend in the knees (about 5 degrees)
Do not lock them out
Keep my core/stomach muscles tight
Tuck in my buttocks
Keep my head over my shoulders
Do not let it hang forward
Seated Posture
Good back support is important when sitting in a chair to maintain a neutral spine. Do not slouch. Use lumbar support to maintain the natural curvature of the spine. At rest, shoulders should be relaxed and supported with elbows at 90 degrees. Keep feet flat on the floor with hips and knees at 90 degrees.
Effects of Bad Posture
Bad posture can lead to many physical problems, from back pain to pain in your temporomandibular joint to lack of balance and foot pronation. Here are some specific effects for each type of misalignment.
Forward head posture
The impact of a forward head posture range from neck pain, stiffness, and headache to an association with higher mortality rates for elderly men and women. Text neck tightens muscles and their supporting ligaments and tendons in the front of your neck and, at the same time, lengthens the muscle structure at the back of your neck.
A small 2019 study from Healthy College Students found that a forward head posture decreases the lower thorax (mid-spine) mobility, leading to reduced respiratory function. The more you lean forward, the more head weight and strain you exert on your spine. The effect can be dramatic. A 2014 study calculated the force in pounds of flexing the neck forward to different degrees. In a neutral posture, your head weighs 10 to 12 pounds. When your forward posture is 15 degrees out of alignment, the force on your spine increases to 27 pounds. At 45 degrees forward, it increases to 49 pounds; at 60 degrees forward, it increases to 60.
Kyphosis
Kyphosis is a more extreme form of forward head posture. The degree to which you’re hunched over determines the amount of pain and dysfunction you’ll experience from this misalignment. When you’re severely hunched over, it’s harder to walk, and you have an increased risk of falls and injuries. Older women with hyperkyphosis have a 70 percent increased risk of fracture. Kyphosis affects mobility and mortality in older people. In our aging population, kyphosis is estimated to affect 20 to 40 percent of older men and women, and the angle of kyphosis continues to increase as you age.
Swayback
When your spine is in the swayback position, it may cause back pain that affects your ability to move. Swayback also increases your risk of developing back and hip injuries and other musculoskeletal injuries, such as disc degeneration. You may have pain in your neck and lower back.
Flatback
Flatback syndrome may make it hard for you to stand up without pain in your thighs and pelvic area. You may also have neck and back pain. Pain and fatigue can increase the longer you keep standing. Walking may also be difficult, giving you leg pain and a feeling of weakness.
Related Reading
• Is Good Posture Attractive
• Does Good Posture Make You Taller
• Symptoms of Bad Posture
• Does Running Improve Posture
• Posture Exercises for Seniors
12 Benefits of Good Posture and Exercises to Maintain It
When sitting, your feet should rest flat on the floor, with even weight on both hips. Your back should be straight (you’ll have natural curves in your lumbar, thoracic, and cervical areas). Your shoulders should be back but relaxed, and your ears should line up over your collarbones. When standing, your legs should have a slight knee bend so you’re not hyperextending or locking your knee joints, says Kara Griffith, exercise physiologist at Colorado Canyons Hospital & Medical Center.
Now that we know what good posture is, here are 12 key benefits and tips to achieve them.
1. Reduced Low Back Pain
Sitting or standing in a reclined position stresses your lower back. More specifically, Strang explains that it puts pressure on the posterior structures of the spine, including:
The intervertebral discs
Facet joints
Ligaments
Muscles
Do Bridges to Strengthen Your Lower Back
Bridges exercise strengthens and engages your gluteal and abdominal muscles, allowing your body to rely on them instead of stressing your lower back.
How to:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Tighten your core without changing your back position.
Lift your hips and lower torso off the ground by contracting your gluteus maximus muscles.
Slowly lower your hips back down.
Building a Sustainable Routine for Lifelong Posture Improvement
Posture tip: Move around frequently—every 20 to 30 minutes is recommended. “No one is able to sit with perfect posture all of the time; it takes a lot of strength to do so. When you feel your muscles tiring, or yourself slowly slouching, get up and move around,” encourages Strang.
What to look for: Don’t anticipate a decrease in lower back pain on your first day. “Posture is something that you should expect to work at your whole life,” says Strang. You’ll see gradual but noticeable pain reduction by stretching your chest and strengthening your core and upper back muscles.
2. Fewer Headaches
“Poor posture can contribute to tension headaches due to increased muscle tension in the back of the neck. Often, if we correct our posture, we can reduce muscle tension and improve our headaches,” says Strang.
Stretch Your Neck Muscles With a Head Retraction Exercise
This exercise strengthens weak and stretched-out neck muscles.
How to:
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Pull your chin back toward the floor like you’re trying to make a double chin.
Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat 10 times.
The Role of Postural Awareness in Preventing Headaches
Posture tip: Check in with your body often. “Awareness is essential to good posture. We get busy working at our computers or eating a good meal and compress into poor posture,” says Griffith. Post a note on your computer screen to remind you to align yourself properly.
What to look for: Headache prevention will differ from person to person. If you’re not experiencing the progress you want, incorporate more core exercises and pectoral stretches into your routine.
3. Increased Energy Levels
When your bones and joints are in correct alignment, it allows the muscles to be used as they’re intended, so you’ll have less fatigue and more energy, explains Griffith. In other words, “the muscles don’t have to work so hard to do what they’re supposed to do.”
Twist Your Torso to Activate Your Side Abs
How to:
Strengthen your obliques so the right muscles are activated when sitting or standing.
Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent.
Lift your feet off of the floor about 6 inches.
Tighten your core as you rotate your upper body and elbows from side to side.
Balancing Posture and Relaxation for Sustained Energy Levels
Posture tip: To keep your energy levels high, remember it’s okay to relax occasionally. “Give your postural muscles a break once in a while. They can get overworked and cause pain as well,” explains Strang.
What to look for: Noticing a spike in your energy levels is variable. It depends on how poor your posture is, how strong you are, and how aware you remain of your posture. “You should notice improvement within a week, but if you want to make it habit, it may take a month for good posture to become natural,” says Griffith.
4. Less Tension in Your Shoulders and Neck
A forward head posture strains the upper:
Back
Shoulder
Neck
With proper alignment, the joints and ligaments are less stressed and less subject to chronic overuse, explains Griffith.
Look in the Mirror and Perform This Neck Stretch
How to:
Stretch out your neck to relieve pressure and correct tension.
Stand with a straight spine and neck.
Slightly tuck your chin backward.
You should feel a slight tensioning of your clavicle muscles and a lengthening of the posterior part of your neck.
Hold for 3 seconds and complete 15 repetitions.
Daily Check-Ins to Relieve Shoulder and Neck Tension
Posture tip: Set reminders on your calendar to check in with yourself several times throughout the day. Ensure your ears are above your shoulders and that you’re using your front neck muscles, not just your posterior muscles, to hold your head up.
What to look for: You’ll likely notice reduced shoulder and neck tension within the first week or two. Applying heat or ice may provide additional relief.
5. Decreased Risk of Abnormal Wearing of the Joint Surfaces
Crooked sitting and standing, such as resting on one leg or side of your body, leads to a hip strain. “Your joints wear down naturally over time. If your posture is even, not many problems arise. But if you’re uneven, more pain and issues tend to occur,” states Griffith.
Strengthen Your Core and Lower Back with this Hip Flexor Stretch
This exercise strengthens your core and lower back while stretching your hip flexors.
How to:
Start in a lunge position with one knee on the floor, and your leg extended backward.
The other leg should be at a 90-degree angle in front of you with your foot planted on the floor.
Engage your core by pulling in slightly.
Supporting Your Lumbar Curve for Sustainable Posture and Core Strength
Posture tip: When sitting, “utilize a lumbar roll or rolled towel to support your natural lumbar curve,” suggests Strang. That way, you’ll have support for a straighter posture, making it more sustainable.
What to look for: The longer you strengthen your core and straighten your posture, the more natural and less challenging it will be.
6. Increased Lung Capacity
“If you’re slouching, you’re compressing your lungs,” explains Griffith. “If you’re sitting and standing taller, your lungs have more space to expand.” In other words, good posture improves your breathing.
Push Out The Pecs To Relieve Your Lungs
How to:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Interlock your hands behind your back.
Hold for 20 seconds to stretch your chest and pectoral muscles.
As an alternative, place your forearms along a door frame at shoulder height.
“With one foot in front of the other, shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds,” recommends Strang.
Optimizing Seated Posture for Better Breathing and Spinal Health
Posture tip: “In a sitting position, rock your pelvis back and forth to determine how much available motion you have in my spine. Your ideal spinal posture will be in the middle of those ranges,” says Strang. Another easy trick is to make sure most of the pressure is on your “sit bones,” not your tailbone or the back of your thighs.
What to look for: “If we’re sitting slouched, it’s difficult for our diaphragm to contract fully and our lungs to expand,” Strang describes fully. For faster improvement, lengthen your seated position and open your lungs with three deep breaths several times daily.
7. Improved Circulation and Digestion
Griffith explains: “If you’re compressing vital organs, your circulation is poor, and those organs aren’t going to work as well.” Healthy blood flow requires proper alignment and avoiding positions that cramp circulation, like crossing your legs.
Roll Out Your Spine with a Thoracic Foam Roll
How to:
Lie on your back on the ground and place a firm foam roller in a horizontal position underneath you at the bottom of your rib cage.
Support your neck with your arms.
Slowly extend your spine over the roller.
Hold for 5 seconds and take a deep breath.
Slowly move up 1 to 2 inches at a time.
Strang suggests performing this exercise daily.
Posture tip: “When sitting, scoot your hips all the way back into the chair. Your feet must be on the ground to improve support. You may use a lumbar roll along my low back to assist with maintaining this posture. Shoulders should be back and your neck muscles relaxed,” offers Strang.
8. Reduced TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) Pain
Our mandibular joint and jaw muscles experience stress and tension when we have a forward head position. “This can contribute to pain with eating, talking, yawning, as well as clicking with opening, and headaches,” says Strang.
Loosen Your Jaw
How to:
With your head and neck in a neutral position and your eyes looking forward, turn my head slowly from one side to the other to stretch my neck muscles.
Ergonomic Adjustments for Improved Posture and TMJ Relief
Posture tip: Adjust the ergonomics at work and home to support a better posture. Find a more supportive chair, use a sit-to-stand desk, and purchase a lumbar roll that you can take wherever you go, suggests Strang.
What to look for: Releasing the tension in your neck and upper shoulders should reduce the effects of TMJ pain. Focus on relaxing your jaw throughout the day, especially in high-stress situations like driving during rush hour or focusing on a challenging work project.
9. Improved Core and Scapular Strength
As Strang describes, muscular effort is required to maintain good posture. If you’re holding a good posture, your core and upper back muscles will remain active and engaged.
Engage Your Back Muscles with the Overhead Arm Raise
How to:
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground with even weight on both hips.
Engage your core by slightly tucking in and flattening your lower back.
Let your arms fall to my sides comfortably.
Raise them both at the same time over your head and bring them back to the starting position.
Maintaining Proper Standing Posture for Core Strength and Joint Health
Posture tip: “In a standing posture, keep your shoulders back and aligned. Engage your abdominals and keep a tiny knee bend so you’re not hyperextending or locking your knee joints,” explains Griffith. Over time, your core strength will improve, helping to support the rest of your body.
What to look for: Your core will continue to strengthen daily if you engage it while sitting and standing properly.
10. Better Form During Your Workouts
Our posture affects us not only when we’re sitting and standing but also when we’re exercising. For example, having an engaged core and neutral spine during a squat will help prevent injury.
Try the Tree Pose
How to:
Stand upright with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Bring your hands to meet in the middle of your chest with palms and fingers touching.
Pull your shoulder blades back, with your ears resting above your shoulders. Lift one leg to your thigh or shin (not your knee), and press the sole of your foot into your leg for stability.
Both legs should be engaged, and your core should be tucked slightly as you maintain a neutral spine.
Combatting Forward Posture for Better Alignment and Injury Prevention
Posture tip: “Most of the environments we live and work in encourage us to do things in front of us, leading to more of a forward posture,” explains Strang. By focusing our attention on proper alignment, we improve our workout results and prevent injury.
What to look for: Focus on your core strength and pay attention to your balance. Over time, you’ll notice this position comes more efficiently and become a center for calm.
11. Appear Taller
While it’s icing on the cake, good posture can make us more attractive. “People look taller and slimmer when they have good posture,” admits Griffith. Sometimes it can even make our abdominals appear more defined.
Flex with the Forearm Plank
How to:
Lie on the floor with my frontside down.
Keep your forearms parallel and your feet hip-width apart.
“Tighten your core and lift your torso off of the ground. Make sure you’re looking down between your elbows, your shoulder blades are pulled back, and your core muscles are tight. Don’t stick your hips in the air,” says Strang.
Hold your plank for up to 30 seconds, but stop sooner if my form declines. Complete three sets.
Using Visual Feedback to Recognize and Build Good Posture Habits
Posture tip: Stand in front of a mirror with my normal posture. Look at myself from all angles. Then, I straightened my posture and noticed the difference in how I looked.
What to look for: Your appearance is one of the first aspects that will change when you practice good posture. It can be almost immediate. To make good posture a habit, continue to build the amount of time you stay aligned throughout the day.
12. Increased Self-Confidence
Not only can good posture boost your energy levels and reduce your pain, but it can also increase your self-esteem. One 2009 study says good posture gives you more confidence in your thoughts.
Practice the Shoulder Pull Back
How to:
Sit or stand with a neutral spine.
Shift your shoulder blades to the back.
Lift both forearms to a 90-degree angle at my sides.
Pull my shoulder blades closer together as if I’m squeezing them while my arms naturally extend backward.
Complete three sets of 12 reps.
Enhancing Confidence Through Posture Awareness in Everyday Situations
Posture tip: Before a meeting, presentation, or job interview, make sure my shoulders are relaxed, my spine is in alignment, and my ears are resting over my shoulders.
What to look for: Feeling more confident in myself can start from day one. Pay attention to my posture as I enter a room, sit down for a meal, or work on a project at my computer.
Related Reading
• How Long Does It Take to Fix Forward Head Posture
• How Long Does It Take to Fix Your Posture
• How Can Poor Posture Result in Back Pain?
• How to Improve Shoulder Posture
• Best Posture for Reading
• Best Sitting Posture on Floor
• Best Posture for Gaming
• Physical Therapy for Posture
9 Best Lifestyle Tips for Correcting Poor Posture
1. Don't Be a Slouch
Slouching adds stress to your spine, which strains the bones, muscles, and joints that hold your backbone in place. Poor posture doesn't just affect your back. A constant slump compresses your internal organs, making it harder for your lungs and intestines to function. Over time, this can affect your digestion and breathing.
2. Straighten Up
A great way to prevent posture problems is to stand up tall. You'll feel and look better—slimmer, even.
Pretend you're standing against a wall to measure your height.
Hold your head straight and tuck in your chin.
Your ears should be over the middle of your shoulders.
Stand with your shoulders back, knees straight, and belly tucked in.
Don't let your booty or hips stick out. Straighten up so you feel like your head stretches toward the sky.
3. Don't Slump at Your Desk
It's comfy to slouch—maybe even lean back and swivel. But it's a posture no-no.
Try this instead:
Sit back in your chair
Place a small, rolled-up towel or lumbar cushion behind your mid-back to protect your spine's natural curve.
Bend your knees at a right angle and keep them the same height, or a bit higher, than your hips.
Place your feet flat on the floor.
4. Beware of 'Text Neck'
Are you on your smartphone all day long? Take a minute to stretch your neck. Tilting your head down to check messages strains your spine. Over a day—or year—that can add up. For a better view, lift the phone and move your eyes, not your head.
5. Don't Be a Low-Rider
Sure, it's cool and comfy to recline during a long drive. But it could be better for your posture. Instead, consider sitting more upright. Try not to lock your legs. Bend your knees slightly. They should be at hip level or a tad above. Remember to put a pillow or rolled-up towel behind you for support.
6. Save Heels for a Big Night Out
They might be a fashion, yes, but they're likely a posture no. Pumps and stilettos thrust the base of your spine forward, which over-arches your back. That can change the way your backbone lines up and put pressure on nerves, which causes back pain. Sky-high shoes also put more weight on your knees. Choose a lower, chunky heel for daily wear.
7. Hit the Hay the Right Way
Naptime is no excuse to slack. Skip the soft, saggy mattress. Choose a firm one that helps hold your spine's natural shape. Side sleeper? Bend your knees slightly, but don't hug them. Place a pillow under your head so it's level with your spine. Back sleepers should ditch the thick pillow and opt for a small one under the neck.
8. Exercise and Tone Your Abs
Too many pounds around your belly put added stress on your back. You need strong muscles to support your spine. A well-designed workout plan will keep your body and spine in tip-top shape. And that's important. Try non-impact exercises like tai chi.
9. Check for Problems
You probably know if you slouch or not. If you aren’t sure, here's a quick way to tell.
Place the back of your head against a wall.
Move your feet 6 inches out from the baseboard.
Your tush should touch the wall. Your lower back and your neck should be about 2 inches from it. If not, talk to your doctor about ways to improve your posture.
Improve Your Posture with Our Posture Correction App
You can get a better posture; it doesn't require expensive treatments or long hours at the doctor's office. Thanks to innovative technologies like Posture AI, you can now improve your alignment from the comfort of your home.
Transform Your Posture with AI: How Posture AI Improves Alignment and Well-Being
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Instant posture scanning
AI-powered analysis
Customized exercise programs
Progress monitoring.
Posture AI offers an affordable, at-home solution for better alignment, whether you're looking to prevent:
Long-term issues
Reduce daily discomfort
Boost confidence
Skip expensive treatments and transform your posture with just a few minutes of guided daily exercise.
Related Reading
• How to Fix Forward Head Posture
• How to Fix Posture
• How to Fix Neck Posture
• Exercises for Better Posture