12 Tips To Help Fix Your Sitting and Standing Posture

While “Sit up straight!" and “Don't slouch!" may be common childhood messages for kids, adults would be wise to heed the advice as well. Improving your posture while you sit, stand and even sleep can have long-lasting benefits for your body from head to toe.

Luckily, improving your posture is possible. So sit up straight and read our 12 posture-correcting tips below — your body will thank you.

1. Be Mindful of Your Posture

It might sound simplistic, but being more aware of your posture during your everyday activities can bring about noticeable improvements. Whether you're carrying grocery bags, lifting boxes in the garage or scrolling on your phone, being mindful of how you are holding, supporting and moving your body can help you make small tweaks to improve your posture and prevent injury.¹

2. Stay Active

Regular physical activity will help keep your joints, muscles and ligaments moving and prevent stiffness, which can lead to poor posture. Exercises that emphasize body awareness, such as tai chi and yoga, can be especially beneficial in improving posture.²

3. Strengthen Your Core

Strengthening your core can also help ensure the muscles supporting your back, pelvis, neck and stomach are strong.¹ Exercises such as side planks, hip ups and twists can help build abdominal strength for improved posture support.³

4. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Carrying excess weight around your midsection can weaken or strain muscles that support your back, pelvis and spine, negatively impacting your posture. Maintaining a healthy weight can help ensure your muscles, joints and ligaments aren't overly strained.²

5. Find a Firm Foot Foundation

When standing, the position and alignment of your feet are key. The American Chiropractic Association recommends keeping feet shoulder width apart, with your body weight primarily on the balls of your feet. This alignment should help provide a solid foundation to support the rest of your body.¹

6. Move Shoulders Back and Down

Being hunched over a computer all day with poor desk posture can overextend back muscles and shorten pectoral muscles, causing the shoulders to collapse forward. A good posture goal is to get shoulders pulled down away from the ears and back in alignment with the torso.⁴

7. Tuck Your Chin

Want to feel a little bit taller? Stand straight and then slightly tuck your chin, pushing the top of your head to the sky. This decompresses and elongates the neck, helping alleviate neck tightness and ensuring you are reaching your full height potential.²

8. Select Posture-Friendly Shoes

Your footwear can have an impact on your posture as well. While sky-high heels might be in vogue, they can wreak havoc on your posture. Shoes with a high heel cause your back to overarch and increase pressure on your knees and back. Save heels for special occasions, and instead opt for flats or low-heeled shoes for your day-to-day look.²

9. Evaluate Your Desk Ergonomics

If you spend all day at a desk or on a computer, the arrangement and height of your desk, computer and chair can play a big role in your daily posture. Evaluate your work environment to ensure your computer is at eye level, your feet rest on the floor and your knees and elbows are bent at roughly 90 degrees.²

10. Switch It Up

Neither standing nor sitting for extended periods is ideal for the body, so if you sit for long periods during your day, break up the day by taking walks and changing positions to give your body variety. Then, each time you sit again, you'll have a new opportunity to reset your posture.¹

11. Support Your Lumbar

Whether sitting at your desk, your car or your couch, ensure your lower and mid-back have adequate support. Lumbar support helps reinforce the small of your back and prevents slouching. Look for ergonomic desk chairs, lumbar support pillows or even use a rolled-up towel.²

12. Lift Your Phone

The so-called “tech neck" is real — and it's bad for your posture. Staring down at a phone for hours each day can not only lead to headaches, neck pain and tightness, it can even impact the natural curvature of your spine through an over-extension of the neck muscles and a shortening of the chest muscles.⁵

What Is Posture?

Posture is the position and alignment of the body when moving or stationary. “Good" posture is characterized by the proper alignment of the body that reduces excess strain on muscles, joints and ligaments.¹

There are two kinds of posture: dynamic and static.⁶

1. Dynamic posture is how you hold your body when you are in motion, such as walking, running or bending.
2. Static posture is how you hold your body when you are stationary, such as sleeping, sitting or standing.

Why Posture Matters

Maintaining good posture is important for several reasons:

• It helps distribute the forces of gravity evenly through the body, reducing stress and wear on specific muscles and joints.¹
• It allows for the optimal functioning of bodily systems, including the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems.²
• It helps support balance and reduces the risk of falling.¹
• It can contribute to an overall appearance of confidence, poise and well-being.²

Poor posture, such as slouching or prolonged periods of sitting in a hunched position, can lead to muscle imbalances, pain and potential long-term health issues.

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Author Bio

Kate Bayless is a health and wellness freelance writer with 15 years of experience. Her work has appeared in Parents, Women's Health, Beachbody, and OpenFit.