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How to Improve Bad Posture

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10 Dos and Don’ts for Improving Your Posture

You likely won’t maintain proper posture all the time — many of our posture-driven behaviors are unconscious. Instead of feeling pressure to be perfect, focus on improving bad posture and maintaining good posture in ways that help you move with ease throughout your day, Dr. Archambault suggests. Here are tips our experts recommend.

1. Don’t Skimp on Stretching and Strengthening

When he sees a patient with neck or shoulder pain that may be posture-related, McCluskey refers them to a physical therapist, who typically provides posture exercises for the back and core, including strengthening and stretching. “All those muscles need to be strong and toned in order for you to maintain good posture,” he says. They also shouldn’t be too tight either, McCluskey adds.

One review of 22 randomized controlled trials out of Iran (consisting of more than 1,000 participants) found physical therapy may offer benefits for head, neck, and upper-body posture among teens, adults, and older adults, but the authors noted more high-quality, randomized, controlled trials are needed.

Of course, you can also do back and abdominal exercises and stretches on your own. “Often I will refer patients to physical therapy to work specifically on those things, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t do that at home,” as long as you’re using proper form, McCluskey says. A few movements that might help include head retraction, shoulder retraction, and Bird Dog.

2. Do Adjust Your Computer Monitor to Eye Level

This is the appropriate height for working at a desk all day while maintaining proper posture, McCluskey says. “Because if you’re having to look down at your monitor, it’s easy for your shoulders to round forward and for you to have to crane your neck,” he says. Ergonomic chairs and standing desks can also help, he adds.

If your workstation puts your body into a subpar posture, you may be more likely to experience low back pain and headache, according to a research survey of 511 people.

3. Don’t Spend a Lot of Time in Heels

You may love your favorite stilettos, but they aren’t the best for your posture. “Wearing shoes with a high heel makes it more difficult to maintain posture,” McCluskey says. That’s because heels change the position of your pelvis and all of the back muscles attached to it, he says.

While there isn’t a large body of scientific research on the effect of high heels on posture, one very small, older study out of Korea including 13 women found that walking in heels places additional strain on neck and back muscles that may contribute to pain in those areas.

Comfortable, supportive, flatter shoes are a safer bet if you’re concerned about improving your posture, he adds.

4. Do Practice Good Posture

Think back to McCluskey’s wall test above and how it felt to move into better posture. Then, routinely remind yourself to straighten up throughout the day, especially if you notice yourself leaning forward, McCluskey advises. “Think about squeezing those shoulder blades together and making sure that your neck is not out front,” he says.

5. Don’t Look Down at Your Phone Too Much

McCluskey says he sees lots of patients with “text neck” issues from hunching over their cell phones for hours a day, including more younger patients, because it’s more common now for kids to have phones. In fact, research out of Greece suggests that compared with standing in a neutral position, adults and even children have worse head and neck posture when looking at a phone, which may contribute to neck and back pain.

Take frequent breaks from using your cellphone and aim to improve your posture when you’re on your phone, too.

6. Do Consider Posture Devices

There are various wearables that can act as your posture coach. Some attach to your clothing or between your shoulder blades to notify you when you slouch and remind you to straighten up, McCluskey says. Others you wear like a bra or a shirt; these may be tight or restrictive enough to actively prevent you from rounding your shoulders forward, he notes. You can purchase these online, or from some sporting goods or electronics stores.

Posture devices are still relatively new, and more long-term research is needed to fully understand their possible benefits. But according to one systematic review out of Australia, preliminary findings suggest they may accurately detect poor posture.

7. Don’t Carry a Bag on One Side

If possible, spread the weight of a heavy bag across both shoulders by using a backpack rather than a purse, tote, duffel, or briefcase. Archambault says she sees people carry a loaded bag on one side of their body and lean in the opposite direction to compensate for the weight. One small study of 34 women out of Korea found this can throw off posture and lead to aches and pains.

8. Do Try ‘Adult Tummy Time’

“Tummy time” refers to placing a baby on their stomach to encourage the development of neck, shoulder, and arm muscles.

 But social media users have recently rallied behind adult tummy time as a way to improve posture and undo the effects of slouching over a laptop or smartphone. This involves lying on your stomach, propped up on your elbows, with a slight arch in your back, similar to a gentle yoga backbend.

“When you’re lying on your stomach, you’re using gravity to help you straighten your body out,” McCluskey says. You’ll likely feel a stretch in your upper back too, which can help improve flexibility there and promote better posture, he adds.

9. Don’t Sit All Day

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, find reasons to stand often, so you’re not perpetuating poor posture from sitting for too long. Lower levels of physical activity are associated with changes in the curve of the spine, weaker and stiffer back muscles, and a narrowing of joints in the spine, which can all lead to back pain and other posture-related issues, according to one study of 82 young adults out of Croatia.

Consider taking phone calls while standing or walking, or drinking extra water so you take more bathroom breaks throughout the day, Archambault suggests.

10. Do a Body Scan When You Stand Up

If you work at a desk, check in with yourself whenever you stand up to use the restroom or refill your coffee mug, Archambault says. She suggests asking yourself: ‘What position am I in? Is it comfortable? How long have I been holding this?’

If you notice discomfort over a prolonged period of time, make posture-friendly adjustments when you sit back down.

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