Yoga Helps Correct Posture
We all have heard a lot about how a consistent bad posture can hurt us.
We have been told to have a good posture as well.
But what are the key points of a good posture?
A good posture can transform the way we look and feel about ourselves – confident and at-ease.
Awareness is the key. As we become more aware of how we are in our current state and what it takes to be in a better state, we will constantly correct ourselves until it becomes automatic to be in a good posture. Whether we are sitting, standing, bending, leaning over, lifting, reaching, we need to be aware.
Poor posture can be rounding of the shoulders, hunching, sticking the chin out or the belly or anything that prevents us from looking and feeling tall.
Many people fall into a bad posture habit due to shyness, sadness, uneasiness, lack of confidence…
We love to pour over our work in a bad posture…
– tight and weak muscles
– pain, especially in neck, shoulder, back
– poor breathing
– injuriesWhat constitutes a good standing posture:
– an imaginary string is pulling your head up
– chin is parallel to the floor
– shoulders are back and relaxed
– ears should be over the shoulder
– chest is expanded
– belly is held inWhile sitting follow the above and allow your thighs to be parallel to the floor with knees slightly lower than your hips and bent at almost 90 degrees. Use back support and other props to get the right sitting posture. Keeping both feet flat either on the floor directly or through a support is important. As much as possible, keep your legs from crossing.While working at your computer monitor, make sure that the top is at or slightly below eye level and not too close to you. Make sure you take a mini stretching and walking break!To build a good posture, yogic exercises prove to be very helpful and rewarding: core building, strengthening, stretching, aligning asanas should be practiced daily.
~ Umang Goel
