Could your posture be causing your back, neck and shoulder pain?

How aware are you of your posture? Do you sit upright at the dinner table and stand tall as you walk down the street? Chances are many of us don’t. It’s so easy to slouch when sitting or standing—it becomes a comfortable position to be in without us even realizing it. We do it all the time, unaware of how these habits are affecting our bodies over the years.

You might wake up one morning with a stiff neck, an aching shoulder, or a dull lower back pain and wonder, "Where did that come from?" Often, we think these aches appear overnight, but in reality, they’ve likely been creeping up on us for a long time—months or even years of poor posture can build up until one day, our bodies say, “Enough!”

Poor posture can lead to muscular discomfort, stiffness, and reduced mobility, especially in areas like the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Think of your spine like a tower of blocks. When these blocks are perfectly aligned, everything stays balanced. But when one block shifts out of place, the whole stack becomes unstable. The same thing happens in your body—when your spine is out of alignment, your muscles have to work overtime to keep you upright. Over time, this extra strain creates tension and tightness that eventually turns into pain.

Poor posture can also have other effects on your body. It can impact your breathing by compressing your diaphragm, making it harder to take deep breaths. It can affect your digestion, as slouching can put pressure on your abdomen, slowing down digestion and leading to discomfort. It can even affect your energy levels—when your body isn’t properly aligned, it takes more effort to move, which can leave you feeling more fatigued by the end of the day.

As we get older, it becomes even more important to pay attention to our posture. The natural changes in our bodies—like the loss of muscle tone, the weakening of bones, and the changes in balance—make it easier for poor posture to sneak in. And when you add that to the effects of menopause, like joint stiffness or back pain, it’s easy to see how good posture plays a key role in staying mobile, pain-free, and energized.

The good news is, by becoming more aware of your posture, you can start to make small changes that will help relieve tension and prevent pain from creeping up. It’s never too late to reset your habits and stand tall!

5 Tips to Improve Your Postural Awareness

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and distribute your weight evenly between both feet.
2. Keep your knees slightly bent to avoid locking them and throwing your balance off.
3. Imagine a helium balloon attached to the top of your head, gently pulling you upwards. This helps lengthen your spine and neck, encouraging a natural, tall posture.
4. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears, then let them fall. Keep them relaxed and down, allowing your chest to open wide. This not only improves your posture but helps you breathe more deeply too.
5. Ensure your head isn’t poking forward. Try to align your cheekbones directly over your collarbones, keeping your head in line with your spine.

Whenever you have a spare five minutes in your day, check in with your posture. These simple adjustments can help take the stress and strain off your body, helping you stay more comfortable, energetic, and mobile for years to come.

By being aware of how you sit, stand, and move throughout the day, you'll be able to reduce the strain on your body, improving both how you feel and how you move.

If you’re not sure how good your posture is, if you have some restrictions in your neck or shoulders, or you want to find out how good your movement is in your upper body, click on the image at the top of the page to watch two simple exercises you can do in less than a minute. If you find it difficult, then you can sure that some improvements can be made to improve the mobility in the shoulders, ease the pain and stiffness, as you start to become more aware of your posture.

Interested in our Posture Reset course? Email us at [email protected] to find out more.