Posture is a popular topic. There are over 200 million results on Google so, it’s fair to say, posture is something you are probably concerned about. Many people want to know what is the best chair for posture, what the perfect posture is and how to fix bad posture - especially those who work in desk jobs.
So what is posture? Is there such a thing as good and bad posture? And why are we so fixated on it?
Why are we so fixated on fixing our posture? A brief history.
Posture is a cultural obsession, spanning thousands of years.
Ancient Greek philosophers were a fan of upright posture. They said it was ‘linked to the divinity and intelligence of human beings’.
This idea persisted through history. In the 17th and 18th centuries, ‘good’ posture came to signify health, strength and beauty.
‘Bad’ posture became an indicator of disability and moral degeneration. It was used by those working in 'racial sciences' to subjugate people of colour. It's time we left the questionable ethics of all that in the past.
But, these beliefs still persist to this day. The myth that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ posture causes and contributes to pain and disability.
The myth of ‘good upright posture’ and ‘bad slouched posture’
Posture is a complex interaction of many factors. So a broad-brush approach of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ is not the best way to talk about it and it is not supported by evidence.
A study of over 1100 Australian teenagers found that while slouched neck posture was connected with higher rates of depression, it had no connection with neck pain or headaches. It is likely that depression is the cause of the slouched posture rather than the other way around.
There is similar evidence for back pain, with recent studies finding that there is no link between slouched posture, or what many people would consider ‘bad posture’ and pain, or any other lumbar posture.
While some postures may look awkward, there is nothing scientific to suggest they are correlated with pain.
‘How to improve posture’ is the wrong question
The first step to improving pain and conditions thought to be connected with ‘bad’ posture is to reframe the conversation and beliefs around the role of posture.
Current postural clinical concepts recommend encouraging regular movement and exercise; finding ways to shift to alternative postures regularly during the day if periodic movement isn’t an option; discussing relieving or advantageous postures connected with particular conditions and relative to each individual; and empowering everyone to take control of their movement and posture.
While posture isn’t irrelevant to the discussions around pain and improving chronic conditions, every assessment and evaluation of posture needs to be highly individualised and take the needs and circumstances of each person into account.
Movement is more important than posture
A 2019 study of physiotherapists found most think an upright, slightly curved posture is the correct sitting posture.
We imagine you feel the same as well, but as discussed, current evidence does not agree or support the idea that there can be a single ‘good’ and ‘bad’ posture that is connected with pain.
What we do have good evidence for, however, is that prolonged sitting can be extremely harmful to your health.
This means that regular movement and not remaining in one posture or position for prolonged periods of time is likely more beneficial in reducing pain than ‘correcting’ posture.
Even for adults who are meeting the targets for weekly exercise, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, sitting in one position for four hours a day can be damaging to their health.
The change in focus from achieving good posture to prioritising movement and changing position and adopting multiple postures throughout the day may be a better way to manage pain and chronic conditions.
Incorporate more movement into your day
For people who work at desk jobs - and particularly now when many people work from home for at least part of each week - remembering to move during the day can be difficult.
It can be very easy to get caught up in a task and forget to move or change positions for hours on end.
Without the factors of commuting, going to different meeting rooms and walking across the room to speak to colleagues that naturally forms part of the day in an office, this can become more pronounced.
But as we have discovered, movement is incredibly important for your health. Here are some ways to incorporate more movement into your day.
Take phone calls standing up - every time you make or receive a phone call during the day, take it as a cue to stand up from your desk and go for a walk around the room while you talk.
Don’t eat at your desk - wherever possible, take a proper lunch break away from your desk. You can even add in a short walk after you eat to really boost your movement.
Keep hydrated - this is not only good for your health in general, but necessitates more bathroom breaks, which require you to get up from your desk and walk!
Set reminders to move - during the day set some regular reminders on your phone or computer to get up, even if it’s just for a minute or two. To make it more enjoyable, you could put on some music and take a ‘dance break’ a few times a day.
Complete short tasks around the house - some people will find it easier to move with a purpose, so take the time while working from home to incorporate short household tasks into your day. This could include unpacking the dishwasher, watering plants or tidying a shelf - whatever gets you up and away from your desk for a few minutes.
Can a chiropractor help with posture?
As we discussed, the question of posture is highly individual and comes down to a variety of factors.
If you are concerned about your posture and pain that you feel you are experiencing as a result, it is a good idea to come and have chat with us about it.
We can help with adjustments to your daily habits to incorporate a wider range of postures and positions, which may help ease the effects of pain.
Contact us or book an appointment at our clinic in Canberra.