Is your posture good? How about that of your kids?
"Walk as though you have a book on your head" and "shoulders back" used to be a constant refrain of elders. With so much work at computers, the slouchy lifestyle of teenagers along with heavy backpacks might be creating real problems. My teenagers would get so irritated when I would correct their posture.
Good body alignment helps muscles and the body and organs function well. I wonder if our changing focus and competitiveness and lifestyles have made mothers focus less on this aspect?
People who practice yoga have great posture, have you noticed? Not everyone practices good ergonomics at home or work or school.
With several years working online for school, I can tell a real difference (negatively) in my posture. Rhea over at the Boomer Chronicles has a good post on ergonomics...
Yoga here I come. I'm getting serious. Are we all getting lazy on posture or is just me?
Our posture stinks. I went to a physical therapist who showed me how I should be standing. She pushed my shoulders back to the wall. It was completely different from how I usually stand!
Posted by: Rhea | November 11, 2007 at 08:39 AM
I heard my mother telling me to stand up straight until I was in my 20's! She thought it was unattractive for tall women to slump. I have a friend who slumps terrible and it's so unbecoming. I have tried to convey the same message to my children. Yoga is great, I also like Pilates. If I keep my "core" strong, I am more mindful of my posture.
Posted by: allison | November 11, 2007 at 12:24 PM
Great post!
Good reminder!
I once heard a Doctor say that his wife loved him enough to not let him slouch. He went on to say it affects our health.
I believe it.
Posted by: Rhonda | November 11, 2007 at 02:02 PM
Posture, cholesterol, I have a lot to work on in the health department!
Posted by: Bellezza.mjs | November 11, 2007 at 02:03 PM
I am told that yoga is good for everything. Must be true.
Posted by: Old Horsetail Snake | November 11, 2007 at 05:39 PM
I have always had dreadful posture, primarily from achieving the height of 5'6" by age 11, when everyone else was still 4 1/2 feet tall. I also had glasses and was dreadfully uncoordinated, so I slouched in an effort to disappear. I don't have the computer slouching problem, because we can't have a chair at our computer. The only way to keep the kids off of it is to have it on a high table and stand up to type. So at least when I'm blogging I stand up straight!
Posted by: Janet | November 12, 2007 at 06:31 AM
I love swimming and water aerobics, which keep my back and ab muscles strong and my posture straight. I want a relaxed posture, not a ramrod straight posture.
My daughters both have excellent postures due to yoga.
Posted by: Hattie | November 13, 2007 at 08:07 PM
I do yoga every day. I just posted about it today, after WSJ slammed it for not being cardio -- Hah!! How can you run if your joints are stiff?
Posted by: susiej | November 18, 2007 at 07:00 AM