A health newsletter for adults over 60 who want to live fully, stay engaged in life, and continue doing what they love!

Why Posture Matters

When I start to work on posture with my clients I often hear stories about their moms trying to encourage good posture with them growing up. Those that received this message should have thanked their moms! Many people believe that good posture is simply about appearance. Good posture is more than just standing up straight; it’s the foundation for your overall health and well-being. Proper alignment reduces strain on your muscles and joints, improves breathing and balance, and even boosts confidence. Poor posture, on the other hand, can lead to back pain, fatigue, and decreased mobility over time.

Did you know? For every inch your head moves forward from its neutral position, an additional 10 pounds of pressure is added to your spine (source: Hansraj, K. K., "Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture and Position of the Head," Surgical Technology International, 2014). Not only does this affect your center of gravity, leading to compromised balance, over time, this added strain can also contribute to chronic neck and back pain, headaches, and even reduced lung capacity.

Try This

A simple way to evaluate how posture affects movement is by performing an arm lift experiment. Start by standing with poor posture: intentionally hunch your shoulders forward and push your head out of alignment. From this position, try lifting your arms in front of you and overhead. You’ll likely find it very difficult to lift them all the way up!

Now, stand with the best posture you can. Pull your shoulders back and down while aligning your head with your shoulders. From this position, try lifting your arms again. Do you notice a difference in your range of motion? If done correctly, you should feel a significant improvement in how high you can lift your arms. Good posture allows our body to move more effectively! 

Poor Posture vs. Good Posture

The good news? You can improve your posture with a few simple exercises that fit right into your day.

Posture Exercises

Wall Angels

• Stand with your back against a wall, feet a few inches away.
• Move your back into a "neutral spine" (not too arched and not completely flat).
• Bring your shoulder back towards the wall and down towards the floor
• Slowly raise your arms to form a "W," then straighten them into a "Y."
• Repeat 8-10 times.

Cat-Cow Stretch

• Start on all fours with your wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
• Inhale, arch your back, and look up (Cow).
• Exhale, round your spine, and tuck your chin (Cat).
• Repeat for 1-2 minutes.

Chin Tucks

• Sit or stand tall.
• Gently tuck your chin toward your chest without tilting your head.
• Hold for 5 seconds and release.
• Repeat 10 times.

Pro Tip: Regular breaks during long periods of sitting can do wonders. Set a timer to stand, do some posture exercises, or walk around every 60 minutes.

Better posture starts with small steps. These exercises take just a few minutes but can make a big difference when done consistently.

If you need help working on your posture, please reach out.  I'm happy to help!

TogetherWON was featured in Beacon Magazine!  Click the HERE to read the article.

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Email: Kristen@TogetherWon.com

Phone: 719-243-2877

Website: www.TogetherWon.com