Correcting Bad Posture

All about correcting bad posture, maintaining posture, posture help, help with posture and how to improve posture.

Good posture is essential to poise, elegance and complements elegant dressing. It is also part of personal grooming.

How to Correct your Posture

Do a self check.

See if you can 'draw' a straight line from your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.

The old fashioned tip is to balance a book on your head. Even if you can balance well, be sure that the straight line can be drawn! I know of women who can model, strut, slouch with a book on their head, yet it does not mean they have good posture.

At the moment, my posture correcting journey to wear a back brace for my upper back, a lumbarwear when I am in colder climates, to suck in my tummy all the time (bikini squeeze). I also do some ballet exercises and brisk walk regularly to strengthen my core. I'm also researching posture correcting exercises.

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What Are Your Bad Posture Habits?

How do you know what good posture habits to develop if you don't know what bad habits you now have?

My back is slightly too curved in, thus I look a little to slouched. My shoulders tend to be slightly rounded. These two problems affect my walk.

To figure out if you have good posture, take the following posture test.

Good Posture Wall Check

Stand with the back of your head and bottom touching the wall. While doing so, do not push your heels back, let them position naturally.

Then, place your hand between your lower back and the wall, and also between your neck and the wall. If you can get within an inch or two at the low back and two inches at the neck, you are close to having excellent posture.

Mirror Test

You can gauge your elegant posture by the mirror test.

Stand facing a full length mirror. Imagine a rope attached to your chest is tied taut to the ceiling. This will ensure that your back is not fully arched. Keep your eyes looking straight. This will cause your head to be straight.

Now check if

Your shoulders are relaxed and level

Your hips are level

Your kneecaps face the front

Your feet is facing front so that ankles are straight

Turn to the side and assess the following:

Your head is not slumped forwards or backwards (very evident in photos)

Shoulders are in line with ears

Only a slight forward curve to your lower back

Fixing Bad Posture Habits

Do you have these bad posture habits?

Common Posture Mistakes include:
forward head
rounded shoulders
arched lower back
excessive anterior pelvic tilt (protruding backside)
excessive posterior pelvic tilt (protruding abdomen/pelvis)

Thank you for reading 'Correcting Bad Posture'!

The Proper Stance

How does an beautiful woman stand? I love studying the stance of elegant women.

When standing, proper posture involves aligning body so that the pull of gravity is evenly distributed.

Good posture includes:

* A straight line from your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles

* Head is centered

* Shoulders, hips and knees are of equal height

Sleeping Posture

What is the best position for sleeping and lying down?

The pillow should be under your head, but not your shoulders. There should be a thickness that allows your head to be in a line that is straight to your body.

Try to sleep in a position which helps you maintain the curve in your back. (hence the need for a lumbar roll because our backs are not straight).

Avoid sleeping on your stomach which can cause back and neck strain.

Find mattress with back support. A good mattress should provide support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine.

There are some mattresses which are recommended by your countries' Chiropractic Association and usually have a mark/brand on them. Look out for these when buying.

Try to enlist the help of additional products such as posture chair for your office, posture correction brace, if you suffer terrible posture or back pains. There are pillows that are curved at neck position or you may also want to use a back support (lumbar support) at night for the curved part of your back. A rolled sheet or towel tied around your waist may be helpful.

Correct Sitting Position

Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders back. Your buttocks should touch the back of your chair.

Imagine the string from your chest pulling you up.

Ensure that your back is not too arched that you bring your chest out.

You might want to invest in ergonomic chairs and seating especially if you spend lots of time in the office and in front of your computer desk. Your good posture is worth it!

Training Posture

Schools used to have posture lessons but unfortunately today they are rare. However, posture training is still needed. Perhaps it is our own responsibility to work on this.

This picture is taken from Daylife it describes how China prepared their service staff for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

"Chinese young women holding plates walk as they receive etiquette training at a vocational school for the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games medal ceremonies' hostesses in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008. The polished young women practice proper stance by balancing books on their heads while squeezing a sheet of paper between the knees. A perfect smile is one that reveals six to eight white teeth, a skill honed by hours in front of a mirror while carefully clasping a chopstick between the canines."

Thank you for reading 'Correcting Bad Posture'!

Return to Good Posture. You may like:

1. What is Poise? How To Be A Woman With Poise.

2. Ballet For Elegance - Good Posture & Developing Gracefulness

3. How to Develop Poise

4. Return from Correcting Bad Posture to Elegant Woman Homepage