For many of us, improving our posture is an ongoing goal on our to-do-list. We know we should sit up straight, but it’s all too easy to slouch over our desk or hunch our shoulders as we scroll social media. While it may be easy to put off, improving your posture isn’t just helpful in looking your best — it’s crucial to your overall health and wellbeing.
We spoke with Viverant physical therapist Mark Schroeckenstein, DPT, OCS, CSCS about the causes of bad posture, the benefits of correcting it, and 10 simple exercises for better posture you can start doing today.
What is posture, and why is it important?
Posture refers to how someone’s body is aligned or positioned. It can refer to the way someone holds their body while sitting, standing, walking, or doing any other activity.
Each individual’s posture tells a different story, explains Schroeckenstein — one that can provide valuable insight into their lifestyle, habits, and areas for improvement. “It gives us an indication as to the genetic makeup of an individual as well as insight into someone’s responses to the physical demands of daily life,” he says.
Physical therapists evaluate people’s posture to understand what may be contributing to an injury and how best to remedy it.
What causes bad posture?
Because we’re all built differently, “there is no one universally correct posture,” explains Schroeckenstein. However, there are different factors that tend to contribute to poor posture, leaving an individual in pain or discomfort.
“Most commonly, I’ll see influences of computer use, desk work, and phone use on someone’s body,” says Schroeckenstein. “These repetitive tasks and positions all tend to have a noticeable impact on our posture.” Here are some factors that can lead to poor posture:
- Occupation: If slouching at your desk has become second nature, you’re not alone. For many people, a sedentary job — or heavy smartphone use — can make it hard to maintain proper posture throughout the day.
- Muscle imbalances: When you have weakness or tension in one area of the body, other muscle groups often have to overcompensate. For example, if you have a weak core, your back muscles may need to work harder to provide stability, resulting in poor posture.
- Excess weight: Carrying excess weight around your middle can pull the pelvis forward, which puts added pressure on the low back and can lead to poor posture.
- Sleep habits: If you’ve ever woken up with a crick in your neck or sudden back pain overnight, it’s likely that you’ve ended up in an uncomfortable sleeping position, which can affect your posture throughout the day.
How posture affects your physical and mental health
Having bad posture can lead to short- and long-term physical issues. On the flip side, when you successfully improve your posture, you’ll not only stand up taller, but will be taking an important step for your overall well-being.
Health risks of bad posture
You might already know that poor posture can cause issues with your spine, but it can also pose other health risks like headaches, heartburn, and more.
- Back and neck pain: It’s no secret that slouching or hunching can put extra strain on the spine, leading to back and neck pain.
- Headaches: When neck pain and tension are high, it can also lead to headaches and even chronic migraines.
- Balance impairment: Over time, poor posture can lead to balance impairment — which may even increase your risk of injury.
- Digestive issues: Poor posture can put pressure on the abdomen, leading to heartburn and slow digestion.
Many people don’t examine their posture until they’re already dealing with these symptoms or have suffered an injury. It’s at this point that a physical therapist typically steps in to help you identify what’s contributing to your poor posture and how to correct it. “As a physical therapist, evaluating someone’s posture will give us clues about what is contributing to an injury,” says Schroeckenstein.
Health benefits of good posture
Good posture helps you do more than just stand up straight. Keeping your body properly aligned has some significant health benefits, too.
- Reduces stress on joints, muscles, and ligaments: Maintaining proper posture helps prevent injury, pain, and discomfort.
- Enhanced circulation: Poor posture can compress vital organs, making it harder for blood to flow. Good posture, on the other hand, improves circulation throughout the body.
- Better energy and mood: If you’ve ever felt yourself grow more confident by standing up a little straighter, the mood boost is not just in your head: studies have shown that proper posture can reduce fatigue and improve mood in depressive patients.
- Improved breathing: Proper posture allows you to take fuller breaths, leading to better oxygen intake.
Can you correct years of bad posture?
Yes! With dedication and consistency you can improve your posture. However, the length of time it will take to improve your posture will depend on the severity of your misalignment.
“The body is always adapting to the demands, positions, and stresses that we put it through. Like most things in our body, posture is not constant and will continue to change,” says Schroeckenstein.
How long does it take to improve posture?
If you’re wondering how to fix posture issues quickly, remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all length of time it will take to reverse the effects of poor posture. The amount of time needed will depend on a few factors, including the severity of your posture issues and your consistency with corrective exercises.
And as Schroekenstein explains, if you’ve kept poor posture habits for a long time, it may take you more time to correct it. “The longer someone has had a certain posture, the more resistant it may be to change,” he says.
But don’t fear! The human body is adaptable, and it’s never too late to form a healthier habit. “All of our bodies can adapt to be the best versions of themselves,” he says. “You’ll typically notice some positive changes within a few weeks of working on it.”
Can exercise improve posture?
According to Schroeckenstein, the changeable aspects of posture come down to two things: daily activities and exercise. When it comes to your daily activities, he notes that your body will be impacted by what you do and how you position yourself throughout the day.
“If you’re sitting at a desk all day, your body will adapt to that,” he says. “Movement breaks and alternating between standing, sitting, and walking throughout the day helps to introduce variety that your body will appreciate.”
When it comes to exercise, there are strategic movements you can perform to bring your body into better alignment. “Using exercise to stretch a short muscle, strengthen a lengthened muscle, or improve joint mobility can have a big impact on your posture.”
10 Exercises for Better Posture
It’s never too late to form new habits that improve your health, and body posture is no exception. By doing these exercises for posture improvement — and being consistent with them — you’ll be on your way to straighter posture and a healthier body.
1. Seated Cervical Retraction
Equipment: Bench or chair
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin by sitting in an upright position with your feet flat on the floor.
- Gently draw your chin in, while keeping your eyes fixed on something in front of you.
- Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Tip: Make sure that you do not look down as you do this exercise, or bend your neck forward. You can use your hand to gently guide your chin back if that helps.
2. Cervical Retraction with Resistance
Equipment: Bench or chair, resistance band
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin by sitting upright with a resistance band wrapped around your head, holding the ends in each hand.
- Bring your hands forward and at the same time pull straight backward on the resistance band with your head, tucking your chin.
- Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.
Tip: Make sure to move your head straight backward, do not let your neck bend too far or rotate to either side.
3. External Rotation with Resistance
Equipment: Resistance band
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin in a standing upright position. Put a resistance band along the back of your head and bend your elbows 90 degrees, holding both ends of the resistance band with your fists facing inward. There should be slight tension in the band.
- Slowly rotate your arms outward and slightly upward so at the top of the motion the band is at the level of your chest.
- Perform 3 sets of 8–12 reps.
Tip: Make sure to avoid overarching your low back and maintain a gentle chin tuck throughout the exercise.
4. Prone Middle Trapezius with Legs Straight on Swiss Ball
Equipment: Swiss ball
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin lying on your front with your chest resting on a swiss ball and your legs straight.
- Raise both arms out to your sides with your elbows straight and thumbs pointing up, then lower them back down and repeat.
- Perform 3 sets of 8–12 reps.
Tip: Make sure to keep your back and spine straight and do not shrug your shoulders during the exercise.
5. Supine Chest Stretch on Foam Roll
Equipment: Foam foller
Frequency: Once daily
How to:
- Begin by lying with your knees bent and a foam roller positioned vertically along the spine, hands resting on your stomach.
- Slowly move your arms straight out to your sides, hold for 90 seconds, then return to the starting position.
Tip: Make sure your back is laying flat against the foam roller.
6. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Equipment: Yoga mat (optional)
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin in a half kneeling position with one knee bent in front of your body.
- Tighten your abdominals, tilt your pelvis backward, and gently push your hips forward. You should feel a stretch in the front of your hip.
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Perform 2 reps.
Tip: Make sure to keep your hips facing forward and back straight during the exercise.
7. Prone Press-Up
Equipment: Yoga mat (optional)
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin by lying on your stomach with your hands by your shoulders resting flat on the ground.
- Push against the floor with your hands, bending your back upward.
- Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.
Tip: Make sure to keep your hips in contact with the floor and maintain a gentle chin tuck throughout the exercise.
8. Superman
Equipment: Yoga mat or other comfortable surface
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Lie face-down on a comfortable surface with your head slightly hanging over the edge and arms at your sides.
- With your chin tucked, lift your head away from the floor until your back is straight. At the same time, draw your shoulder blades down and toward the middle of your back and raise your arms a few inches off the surface of the bed.
- Hold for 10 seconds. Perform 1–2 sets of 10 reps.
Tip: Make sure to keep your chin tucked and do not turn or rotate your head.
9. Supine Bridge
Equipment: Yoga mat (optional)
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin by lying on your back with your arms resting at your sides, your legs bent at the knees and your feet flat on the ground.
- Tighten your abdominals and slowly lift your hips off the floor into a bridge position, keeping your back straight.
- Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.
Tip: Make sure to keep your trunk stiff throughout the exercise and your arms flat on the floor.
10. Half Deadlift with Kettlebell
Equipment: Kettleball
Frequency: 3 times weekly
How to:
- Begin in a standing upright position with a kettlebell in front of you on the floor.
- Bend at your hips to reach down and grasp the kettlebell. Lift the kettlebell off the ground, engaging your back and thigh muscles, Then lower it back down just below your knees, and repeat.
- Perform 3 sets of 6–10 reps.
Tip: Make sure to keep your back straight during the exercise and do not let your knees bend forward as you lower the kettlebell.
A final word on improving your posture
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but with awareness, dedication, and commitment to performing posture exercises, you can make significant improvements to your posture and boost your overall health.
As a reminder, if your posture issues are affecting your daily life or inhibiting your movement in any way, speak to your doctor or a physical therapist first. They can often offer personalized recommendations that fit with your lifestyle to reduce any pain you may be experiencing.
Want to sit up straighter? Find the Anytime Fitness location nearest you and ask staff about the availability of physical therapy options.
Mark Schroeckenstein, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Meet Mark Schroeckenstein, DPT, OCS, CSCS, and see how Viverant providers are ready to help you feel better, grow stronger and accomplish what you set out to achieve.
