1st October 2024

By Jackie Leon Sysum

Why Posture Matters

Every ad you read encouraging you to sign up for a class will tell you that regular Pilates improves your posture. Why is good posture important and what can you do to improve yours?

A toddler's squat is the envy of every fitness professional/ Few adults can achieve the position shown in the photograph. This perfection is possible because young children have great posture. By the time we reach adulthood, most people will be able to identify with one of the diagrams below. So, what happened?

In a word, LIFE!

Our lifestyles take a toll on our muscles and joints, which in turn affects our posture. Human bodies are designed to move frequently. prolonged sitting, lack of exercise, improper exercise, and even poor footwear can change our posture by causing muscle imbalances. The longer a certain posture is adopted, the more set the body becomes in that position, and the ingrained habit can be tough to break.

"Never slouch, as doing so compresses the lungs, overcrowds other vital organs, rounds the back and throws you off balance"
Joseph Pilates

Practise standing tall with your chin parallel to the floor. Feel that your head is stacked on top of the rest of your spine, and your shoulder blades are drawn down your back. Flatten your tummy (try to think of flattening rather than "pulling the tummy in", which can raise the shoulders). Your tailbone at the very base of your spine should be pointing down towards the floor, knees are very slightly relaxed, and your weight is spread evenly between your big toe, little toe and heel. A mirror will help (or a Pilates teacher watching you!).
Good posture keeps bones and joints aligned so that muscles are used properly, reducing injury risk, back pain and fatigue. It helps lessen the chance of arthritis by decreasing the erosion of joint surfaces. Good posture aids, balance, digestion, circulation and breathing, and reduces headaches.
If all that is not enough to send you rushing to sign up for a Pilates course, good posture has been shown to improve mood, mental health, self-esteem and energy, AND it makes you look taller with a flatter tummy!