Posture Myths Debunked

You probably grew up being told to ‘sit up straight’ or ‘stop slouching or you’ll stay that way’ or ‘insert another posture related myth here’.

Our parents probably meant well but were maybe misinformed on all things posture related. Enter the age of the internet and accessible health information!

Common beliefs around posture we all grew up with have been debunked by research which means we are all free to take those books off our heads!

Good posture means sitting/standing up straight

When we attempt to ‘sit up straight’, we often exert a lot of energy actively tensing muscles for longer periods of time.

Imagine making a fist and squeezing for 8 hours - sounds exhausting! Instead, try a variety of postures and movement throughout the day.

We should aim for ‘Perfect Posture’

See above. We’ve already debunked the ‘sitting up straight’ myth. Following on from that, we can probably deduce that there is no such thing as perfect posture.

Instead of perfection, aim for a balance of support and relaxation and vary your position throughout the day

Slouching will damage your body

As a hypermobile gal, if slouching is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.

Like all good things in life, moderation is key. Staying in any position for too long, whether slouching or sitting upright, can cause stiffness and soreness.

Posture is the cause of your pain

Pain is complex and posture is both highly individual and heard to measure.

Research has found no correlation between so called ‘bad posture’ and pain, nor is it a predictor of future pain or injury.

Our Spines are Fragile

Our bodies are designed to be resilient, and spinal health should be viewed by zooming out. We should be aiming for whole-body health - keeping fit and strong. Moving. Eating well. Sleeping well. Cultivating connection.

These are the things we should be targeting, rather than the idea of perfect posture.

Do any of these sound familiar? If you are concerned about your postural habits or you have body pain in certain positions, book in for an assessment in clinic.