Body Alignment for a Better You

Recognizing issues with one’s body alignment is the first step towards fixing it and living a healthier lifestyle. Working in front of a desk, spending hours sitting, even on office chairs for posture, can slide you back to a state where your posture can suffer.

If you take it upon yourself to correct your sitting position regularly, taking advantage of the office chair for posture you are sitting on, and follow a regimen of stretches and strengthening exercises to correct and enhance your body alignment, you can keep yourself from problems brought about by incorrect posture.

Before we talk about the proper positions for maintaining correct body alignment, make sure you check your body alignment, paying close attention to your head, neck shoulders and back.

Looking at yourself in your regular stance from mirrors and/or pictures should help you determine if your body alignment is at its optimum. You will want to do this because this will be your baseline. After learning the body alignment you have been so used to, only then you can determine what you need to work on.

One of the first things we learn in our first few weeks or months as infants is how to sit. When our spine and neck can finally support the upper part of our body, our baby selves would be placed in a sitting position by our parents. It seemed like a position that was so easy that there would be no need to re-learn it. But being exposed to different types of furniture, sitting has become a path to pain for our backs.

Studies and engineering have been devoted to create the perfect office chair for back problems. Even with these new chairs, we need to keep in mind how we position ourselves in our chairs.

• Supporting your weight should not be the job of the chair alone. Your feet should be able to rest on the floor, or if that is not possible, a footrest should be available for your use.

• Legs crossed may have become the norm but for your overall wellness, keep away from that. As much as possible, ankles should be in front of the knees.

• For better circulation for your legs, keep a small space between the back of your knee and the front of the chair.

• Make sure that your mid and lower backs have support.

• Shoulders should be loose and relaxed, while the forearms are parallel to the ground.

And the last thing is to make sure you do not sit in the same position for very long periods of time. Even with an office chair for back pain, there is no excuse to interrupt your work for a little stretch or a short exercise. Remember, it is for your health, so stand up from time to time!

And while in the subject of standing, not only is having the right body alignment healthier for you, a great standing posture shows confidence and strength.

• The balls of your feet should be the primary actor at this point. Your weight should be supported there. 

• Knees should not be always locked. A slight, unnoticeable, relaxed bend should be enough.

• Let your arms relax. Relaxed arms have a mild curve where the hands will be slightly in front.

• Keep your shoulders back. Shoulders should not be curled to the front. You may feel your chest muscles stretched if your shoulders have been curled forward all this time. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.

• Earlobes should be aligned with your shoulders. People who have been sporting a forward-head carriage will need to transition to this because the front muscles of the neck may have weakened already.

If you will be standing for a long time, make sure you shift your weight heel to toe, foot-to-foot.

Posture is important, even when lying down. Incorrect body alignment during sleep can result to muscle and skeletal aches, even when you are supposed to be relaxing and re-energizing your body.

• A firm mattress is the most recommended type to sleep on, but your comfort is the most essential. Make sure you have the right type mattress best suited for your comfort.

• Pillows can help for a comfortable sleep. Your head and neck should be supported by a pillow that has a comfortable softness/firmness and has the right height. Bigger pillows should be avoided as they tend to hyperextend your neck. (For certain medical conditions requiring the upper body kept at an angle, a hospital bed or a wedge to support the torso, head and neck should be used, not just pillows)

• Pillows between the legs are good for side-sleepers. Those who sleep supine should have a pillow under the knees.

Following these tips should help you achieve the right alignment for your body. Chiropractic care, the right mattress and the right chair for back problems can also help you achieve the perfect posture you want to achieve.