How to improve your posture when sitting or standing

There is no correct standing or sitting posture.

And then what are we doing here? Well, if you are reading this, it means that you are interested, at the very least, in maintaining a posture that is healthy and makes you feel better.

That does exist.

What we don't want to do is declare a posture “the correct standing posture,” because what makes a posture healthy, or correct, is the fact that it doesn't last very long. And yes, we can review the characteristics of a classic correct standing posture:

“Head up, shoulders back, stomach slightly in, knees unlocked, feet placed shoulder-width apart, and keep the weight centered on both feet.”

Sounds familiar to you, right? Well, it will be of no use to position yourself in the best possible way if you then maintain that position for hours. What our body really requires is variation and movement.

From the appearance of the genus Homo, more than 2 million years ago, until the agricultural revolution of approximately 10,000 years ago, our ancestors were hunter-gatherers, so the adaptations inherent to that environment have had a great influence on genetic composition. human.

The part of our genome that determines basic anatomy and physiology has remained relatively unchanged for the past 40,000 years. That is to say, the current specific physical activity requirements are still very similar to those of the men and women of the Stone Age, who lived by gathering and hunting. Understanding evolution helps us know how to establish good physical activity patterns.

Can you imagine our ancestors choosing a correct standing posture and maintaining it whenever they were upright?

No.

They moved, constantly, in a thousand different ways, strengthening the body in all its senses.

It is clear that society has changed and our lifestyle requires working 8 hours a day, driving, and, why not, sitting on the couch every night to watch an episode of our favorite series.

We have a sedentary lifestyle, even though we go to the gym a few hours a week. What's important? Don't stop moving, adopt all the positions we can while working: sit, stand up, investigate how many positions we can stand or sit in the chair. In short, move our body, even if we are in a chair or a desk.

Go for ergonomic chairs and elevating tables that allow you to move while you remain attentive to your work. Not only will you feel better physically, you will also see that your ability to concentrate increases and, most importantly, that you begin to enjoy your day more. day.

References:

Cordain L, Gotshall RW, Eaton SB, Eaton SB 3rd. Physical activity, energy expenditure and fitness: an evolutionary perspective. Int J Sports Med. 1998 Jul;19(5):328-35. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-971926. PMID: 9721056.