GOOD POSTURE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU MIGHT THINK

Well, mom was right when she told you to sit up straight.

Good posture and good health seem to go hand in hand.

"Proper posture is something that we all need to work on," said Gary Bridges, a chiropractic physician.

Posture is determined by your ability to maintain balance against the force of gravity. Posture is an ever-changing state.

People that maintain good posture habits throughout their lives are less likely to have health problems as opposed to people with poor posture habits.

"From a chiropractic standpoint ... good posture enhances the health of the spinal and nervous system," said chiropractor Khonda Andrews.

People who fall into bad posture habits are headed for trouble later in life, Andrews said.

"Bones can degenerate and wear based on the degree of bad posture," she said.

In cases where people maintained bad posture throughout life it can be expected that the upper shoulders and back will start to roll and the head will jut forward, she added.

But bad habits can be broken. There are exercises that can be done to strengthen the correct muscles needed for good posture.

Dr. Alfred Moretz, an orthopedic surgeon, said there are two exercises that can help improve posture.

"I try to get patients to hug themselves and also to try to touch their shoulder blades together, which of course is impossible to do, but a good exercise to improve posture," Moretz said.

Moretz said that many problems that arise from bad posture habits can't be helped surgically.

"They can only be treated by good posture," he added.

Posture problems are about equal throughout gender, Moretz said, and it is more obvious in slender people than in overweight people.

He said poor posture will put increased strain on the rotator cuff in the shoulder, and it will tear over years and years of strain from bad posture.

Moretz said exercise and good posture, and in some cases surgery, can alleviate the damage done by years of bad posture.

"Straps and braces do not help your posture," he said.

Chiropractor Robert Degen of the Degen Chiropractic Center said there are many different situations where posture plays an important role in our health that many are unaware of.

He advises patients to drive with the seat pushed forward and not back. This takes the pressure off the lower back.

"There is more pressure on the lower back while sitting than standing," Degen said. "The back is an intricate part of your body. Improper use over the years will take its toll."

People need to look in the mirror to see if they might have posture problems, he said.

Some clues to a possible posture problem would be if one pant leg is longer than another. This means you have one leg longer than the other, which will mean your body has compensated for this discrepancy over the years and has put increased stress on a part of your body.

Check your belt level. If it is not level, you may have a tilt in your pelvis that may affect your posture negatively.

Look to see if one shoulder is higher than the other or if your ears are level.

These are ways to see if you might have bad posture that may someday give you health problems.

Bad posture can be acquired or hereditary, Bridges said.

Recurrent injuries and traumatic injuries will also have an effect on posture.

The process of aging and conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis will affect posture, Bridges said.

Diseases such as Parkinson's and muscular dystrophy also will have a negative impact on posture.

Bridges said mental stress will have a negative impact on posture for people in stressful situations for long periods of time.

One other danger to keeping a good posture is excessive sugars in your diet, which causes chemical stresses on muscles in the body, Bridges said.

Andrews said society has lost the emphasis to have good posture.

"It's much easier to keep good posture than to retain it," she said, but people can change their habits and any good exercise program will enhance good posture.

"Exercise in an environment where there are mirrors and don't forget to stretch," she said.

Anatomical postures

Gary Bridges, a chiropractic physician, named basic daily postures and gave pointers for correct postures for people standing, sitting and sleeping.

Correct posture while standing is extremely important for people with occupations where they stand all day.

Bridges recommends good quality shoes with good support.

While walking most people look down. Their heads should be up and their eyes should be looking straight ahead.

Your feet should be a few inches apart. Your arms should hang loosely to your side.

Weight should be evenly distributed on both legs.

From the standing posture there are many pointers for subsets of standing like walking, running and lifting.

For lifting, always lift with the legs and keep your back bowed inward when you bend over. Lift with the weight close to your body. Your feet should be apart.

Remember to turn with your feet and not with your body. When setting the weight down, keep back bowed in.

Sitting posture is very important. More strain is put on the lower back when sitting than standing.

A good chair will aid in good posture. Bridges said that easy chairs are not good for posture and actually can cause strain on the lower back.

Your back should be straight and the back of the chair should support your waist.

Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a foot rest. Hold your head up straight with your chin in.

Your thighs and buttocks should support the weight of your body.

Your legs should not be touching the bottom of the desktop and your knees should be at right angles.

The elbows should also be at right angles and touching your side. Forearms should be level.

When you are typing do not rest your wrists on a support.

Proper posture while sleeping isn't hard to maintain with a few simple rules.

Bridges said you should never sleep on your belly or on a couch or in a chair.

He also said pick whichever side is most comfortable to you and sleep that way.

Belly sleepers put abnormal stress on their neck muscles and vertebrae. Many people experience pinched nerves because of this.

Bridges highly recommends a cervical pillow for proper support and traction while sleeping.

"Good posture is something we all have to work at, and it is indicative of our overall health," Bridges said.