It’s National Correct Your Posture Month! (Now Sit up Straight)

By Sara Butler

As the calendar flips another page and we reach the venerable month of May, it’s time to celebrate the most cherished of monthly observances, National Correct Your Posture Month. You were probably hoping we’d go with National Cheese Month or even National Asparagus Month, but at The Joint Chiropractic, we’re all about that back -- and so we celebrate correct posture this month and all year long.

Sure, you’ve been harangued about your posture for as long as you can remember by your mom, your grandmother, and maybe even a few teachers. But all of them weren’t conspiring to torture you. Posture is important to your overall health and wellness, so let’s explore what you can do to make it even better.

Don’t Be Oscar the Slouch

If you slouch, then it adds a lot of stress and strain to your spine. It places stress on the muscles, joints, and bones that are needed to keep your spine in its correct, neutral position. However, slouching isn’t simply bad for your back, it’s also bad for your organs, which are constantly smooshed together. This can make it harder for your intestines and lungs to work as they made to. Over time, being all smooshed up will impact how you feel.

Pay Attention at Your Desk

Speaking of slouching, you shouldn’t do it while you’re standing, and you certainly shouldn’t do it while you’re sitting. It can feel good to slouch while at your desk doing work, but it’s a bad decision that can impact your overall health. You can help yourself to sit up straighter by taking a small towel or shirt and creating a small roll, then placing that between your lower back and the chair. This creates a lumbar cushion that helps to protect the natural curve of your spine. It’s a good idea to keep your feet flat on the floor, too.

Save the Heels for Special Occasions

Footwear can be a fun accessory to any outfit but keep those heels and flat shoes in your closet; bring them out only on special occasions. High heels, and very flat shoes with no arch support, are not good for your feet or your posture. High heels cause you to shift your center of gravity, pushing your spine forward. Shoes that are too flat may lead to back pain because they offer no support. Choose shoes that provide support and comfort for daily wear and your back with thank you.

Think About How You Hit the Hay

You will spend up to one-third of your life asleep, which makes what you sleep on a pretty important factor. A mattress that doesn’t provide you with any support or with too much of it is going to cause back problems due to poor sleeping posture. Goldilocks was on to something, it seems.

Make sure to replace your mattress every 10 years with one that is supportive but comfortable. Use pillows strategically when you sleep to further support your spine. If you’re a side sleeper, then sandwich a pillow between your knees. If you’re a back sleeper, put a pillow under your knees. And if you’re a stomach sleeper, talk to your chiropractor about how to break yourself of the habit because it’s terrible for your spine!

Check for Issues

Going to the chiropractor regularly can help you to keep tabs on your posture and to address any that may arise. Chiropractors are great at helping people identify posture problems and correct them so that they can ultimately be more comfortable and keep their spine healthy.

Happy National Correct Your Posture Month -- use it as an opportunity to show your grandmother you were really listening.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.