Good posture benefits your health, but it’s about more than sitting (or standing) up straight. Over a lifetime of constant leaning or bending, “your spine actually begins to weaken,” explains Dr. T. Foster Bryant, a chiropractor and exercise physiologist who owns MovMnt Spine & Rehab in Naples.
The best way to fix your posture is to understand any issues with your spine, he notes, which starts with X-ray and then treatments like bracing to support realignment. There are also steps you can take on your own. Bryant suggests holding your smartphone up in front of you when using it, and positioning your computer screen and television slightly above eye level. When sitting, place a small pillow in the middle of your back for support. Bryant also recommends following an active lifestyle and, in particular, practicing Pilates for spine lengthening. Sensors that alert you when you’re slumping may help raise your awareness of posture, but Bryant notes that they may not be enough. “There’s a lot of things that are helpful; there’s not a lot of things that are corrective,” he says.
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