Your posture is telling a story about you before you ever say a word.  Overuse and tightness of large muscle groups are reflected in your posture as they play “tug of war” along your spine.  Weakness in your postural muscles is commonly demonstrated by shoulders and head rounding forward or a sway in your lower back.

May is National Correct Posture Month and what better opportunity to establish postural habits that will decrease stress on your joints, reduce muscle tension and stiffness and create an impression of health and confidence instead of fatigue and defeat!

Healthy posture requires more than a directive to “Stand up Straight”.  Before you can expect to successfully change your posture, you need to know what is contributing to sustained poor posture.

Try this test:  Stand with your back against a wall and your heels an inch or two away from the wall.

If: Lower back is arched, Then: Hip flexors or midback may be tight

If: Knees are bent, Then: Hamstrings may be tight

If: Shoulders are rounded, Then: Chest and midback muscles may be tight

If: Head cannot touch the wall, Then: Midback and neck may be tight

Stretching can help restore mobility to improve your ability to return to neutral posture.  Try these stretches and repeat the wall test.