To Slouch or To Straighten... What's in Good Posture?

The problem with bad posture (trust me, there's more than one) is that the strain and stress of your muscles and joints when pulled the wrong way may eventually lead to compression of not only blood vessels but nerves as well. Patients who suffer from osteoporosis will tell you that prevention is much more preferable to the postural rectification needed years down the road, which will most likely accompanied by aches and pain.

If you would like to see how tall you stand, place your back to a wall, positioned with shoulders and head touching the wall behind you, if possible. Keep the palms of your hands facing forward in order to maintain anatomical alignment. If you find yourself unable to do so, then perhaps you should enlist the aid of either a friend to keep you accountable throughout the day or a mirror at your work station to act as visual feedback for how you're doing with posture.

Now that school is back in session for many, heavy bookbags will be the latest trend, which could not be more detrimental to your back than you realize! In order to avoid such misalignment, switch your bag from shoulder to shoulder frequently and if you carry a backpack, then try using it the right way or purchase a wheeled bag.

When working on your computer, for all those projects and papers due in the near future, do NOT keep your laptop in your lap. Rather, place it on a desk with the monitor about 6 inches below your gaze to keep the natural curve of your spine. Make sure your arms are close to your trunk and bent at 90 degrees. Speaking of 90 degrees, your torso should form a 90 degree angle with your thighs. And last but not least, take breaks. Doesn't sound so bad when you're studying, right? But checking email or twittering, harder to remember. Keep in mind, every 30 minutes you should stand up and stretch.

Finally, when sleeping in bed (my favorite time of day), avoid having too much cushion both in regards to pillow propping and mattress. Support should be just enough to maintain the inward curve of your neck and low back. Sleeping on your back, by the way, is the easiest way to relieve your body of strain in the AM. But don't forget a small pillow behind the knees to keep your back in neutral. And that's what it's all about. Keeping things neutral. Simple and symptom free.

Just a few facts to keep in mind for a healthier, more functional you.