| Have you ever caught your reflection in a | | | | your spinal curves have become more |
| window or mirror and saw that your head leads | | | | exaggerated. In other words, your posture has |
| the way - doesn't sit directly over your | | | | become worse. Once you learn the keys to |
| shoulders? Or noticed that your shoulders are | | | | improving your posture, you'll find you will |
| too rounded and your upper back is slumped | | | | re-gain most, if not all, of that 'lost' |
| forward? These are common postural problems | | | | height. |
| that affect millions of Americans. | | | | |
| | | | A Better Look And Fit For Your Clothes |
| Your posture, the way you carry yourself, is | | | | |
| important for a variety of reasons - a few of | | | | So many people spend lots of money on their |
| which may surprise you. Here's 5 to consider. | | | | clothes every year. But if your posture is |
| | | | bad, your clothes will not fit you correctly, |
| Look 10 Years Younger | | | | no matter how much you spend on them. If your |
| | | | head hangs too far forward from your |
| A study done in Louisville, Kentucky, showed | | | | shoulders or your upper back is slumped, your |
| how posture affects perceptions of age and | | | | mid-section becomes wider than it really is |
| beauty. Two women, both five foot four, one | | | | and your belly sticks forward way more than |
| weighing 105 pounds and the other 125, were | | | | it should. Improve your posture and your |
| asked to put on leotards and cover their | | | | clothes will automatically look better and |
| faces. Side-view pictures were taken of each | | | | fit you better. |
| woman with normal and slumping posture. Then | | | | |
| sixty people were asked to look at the | | | | Improve Your Athletic Performance |
| pictures and rate the women's appearances. | | | | |
| When the women stood up straight, viewers | | | | When you work out or play sports, poor |
| consistently described them as younger and | | | | posture increases the chance that you will |
| more attractive. In fact, the upright 125 | | | | injure your neck, shoulder, upper back, lower |
| pound woman was rated more favorably than the | | | | back, hips, and knees. Good posture reduces |
| slumping 105 pound woman. | | | | injuries, muscle strain and aches, and helps |
| | | | you move more easily, gracefully, and |
| Nothing ages you faster than a shrinking, | | | | powerfully; and gives your lungs more room so |
| stooped posture. A strong, straight spine | | | | you have a greater breathing capacity. In |
| portrays youth and vigor. Slumping forward | | | | fact, a slumping posture can decrease lung |
| decreases your chest measurement, causes | | | | capacity by as much as 30%. |
| rounded and narrow shoulders, and forces your | | | | |
| belly to stick out more. | | | | Prevent Back & Neck Pain |
| | | | |
| Look 10 Pounds Thinner | | | | This is the most important benefit to |
| | | | improving posture. Good posture can prevent a |
| Simply by standing straighter, you will | | | | lifetime of annoying and painful back |
| instantly slim your waistline by an inch or | | | | problems. Poor posture is the leading cause |
| more. When the upper back slumps forward, it | | | | of back and neck pain. |
| presses the rib cage down on the abdominal | | | | |
| organs. The belly protrudes, making the | | | | The spine, or backbone, is the main |
| waistline appear larger than it really is. | | | | supporting structure of the entire body. It |
| Every second you stand or sit with your rib | | | | is composed of twenty-four interlocking bones |
| cage slumping forward, you are weakening your | | | | called vertebrae, which are stacked one upon |
| abdominal muscles as well as back muscles. | | | | the other. In between the vertebrae are |
| | | | disks, which are meant to provide shock |
| Radiate Confidence | | | | absorption and cushioning. This is a |
| | | | delicate, finely balanced structure that can |
| Psychological studies have shown that good | | | | easily be injured. When posture is poor, |
| posture exudes health, vitality, and | | | | uneven pressures are placed along the spine |
| confidence, while slouching signals | | | | and the joints no longer fit together the way |
| insecurity, weakness, and self-doubt. | | | | they are supposed to. Everyday activities can |
| Consciously or not, we tell the world a lot | | | | result in friction, pain, irritation and |
| about our mental and emotional state by the | | | | excessive wear and tear, especially in the |
| way we stand, sit, and move. In fact, posture | | | | lower, mid and upper back as well as neck. |
| is one of the first three things people | | | | |
| notice about each other (the other two are | | | | Poor posture also forces some muscles to work |
| hair and eyes). | | | | excessively hard while others don't have to |
| | | | work at all. They just get weaker and weaker, |
| Improving your posture can help you build | | | | setting up a vicious cycle of discomfort and |
| self-esteem, interview well for jobs, improve | | | | pain. Gradually, the muscles lose their |
| your work performance, particularly in sales | | | | ability to support the body correctly, and |
| or business, and convey an air of | | | | posture grows even worse. |
| self-respect. | | | | |
| | | | Knowing the basics of good posture can make |
| Regain Lost Height | | | | the difference between a healthy back and an |
| | | | aching one. When properly aligned, your body |
| If you've ever been told by a nurse at your | | | | moves with ease and comfort. The muscles in |
| doctor's office that you are an inch or two | | | | the front and back of your body work together |
| shorter than you were in previous years, it | | | | harmoniously. |
| is NOT because you've shrunk. It is because | | | | |