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Why is Posture so Important
Why is
posture so important? Why a proper posturing is very crucial in
exercises or activities such as yoga and martial arts, or while sitting
or standing? Well, if to answer it in a single sentence, right posturing
is advised in order to avoid injuries to one's ankles, joints, and body
as a whole. While walking, sitting, running, or doing some activities
that involve a lot of physical movements, for the body or body parts to
feel less or no strain at all, the force components acting on the
various parts and joints in the body must be equally balanced out or be
distributed so that no part individually takes the entire stress of the
action performed. When this balance is disturbed – owing to bad
posturing – the body part that endures the most strain invariably breaks
down, leading to one injury or the other. This must be read in the
backdrop of the fact that recent studies conducted on back injuries have
confirmed that more than 90% of the cases involving bad back are rooted
in bad posturing, especially while sitting or while driving. Accidents
and other issues come next only.
From the
foregoing, it is pretty clear; follow a proper posturing, else be
prepared to pay the price. Having said that, it brings up another
question – what is the ‘proper’ posture to maintain while we do our
common activities such as sitting in a chair, in front of a PC, or while
driving a car? In other words, while doing these things, which posture
is good for the body, or which has to be avoided?
Most of the
injuries happening to the lower back – the most common of all injuries
due to bad posturing – owe a lot to the sitting style. The scene is
further grim if the person has a fair amount of fat around his/her waist
and in the belly. So, how one imposes oneself on a chair matters a lot
at the end of the day. For a healthier back, while sitting, make sure
that your backbone is pretty straight at all times and is not acting
like a lever while you move to your sides. Don’t be too relaxed or too
stiff in your posture. It must be somewhere in between. Further, every
half hour or so, stand up or walk around for a couple of minutes.
Continuously remaining glued to the seat is not at all a good habit,
even if you are posturing in the most optimal way.
While
sitting in front of the PC, it will be ideal to use a chair with a
backrest that firmly supports the spine. The above rules for sitting
apply here as well, but keep an eye on the backrest while selecting the
chair.
Finally,
while on the wheel, position the seat in such a way that it supports the
driver’s back all through the entire drive consistently. That is, while
applying the brakes or pressing on the pedal, your posture will be close
to the seat with the backrest supporting your vertebral column firmly
enough. Remember, doing something with your legs and hands meanwhile
leaning forward causes undue strain on your vertebral column, and that
has to be avoided at any cost.
Tail Piece:
If you get any inkling of a stiff back or a slight pain in your back or
in some joints, don’t hesitate to consult a doctor. Injuries diagnosed
and treated in its earlier stages itself have a better chance for
complete recovery than a full blown case.
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