Posture Cues

Contributed by: Marquette Physical Therapy

You've heard a thousand times to fix your posture. You tell yourself you have bad posture. But do you even know what good posture is?

Here's the thing: we cannot have "perfect" posture all the time. The human body is meant to be in motion, not holding a "perfect" position for a prolonged period of time. Also, everyone's body is a bit different. Different sizes, lengths, proportions. So “perfect” for one person might be different for another.

However, there are general guidelines that maintain supportive posture and prevent pain/injuries. In standing, here are the cues I find most helpful:

1. Keep knees unlocked. Some people, especially those with hyper-mobility, tend to stand with their knees locked out causing excessive anterior tilt / lumbar extension, poor abdominal pressure, and glute activation. Keeping the knees "soft" when standing will prevent further issues up the chain.

2. Belly button towards spine. Gently pulling your low abdominals backwards helps support your trunk and the muscles surrounding your low back.

3. Sternum / breastbone towards ceiling. This cue changes many aspects of your posture. Lifting the sternum will elevate your ribcage which helps decompress the spine and help with deep breathing. This will also prevent excessive thoracic kyphosis or "hunchback" posture by strengthening the muscles that perform thoracic extension. In addition, your shoulders should automatically move up and back. That's right, NOT back and down - the cue you hear in every workout class. Shoulders up (just slightly, not up at your ears) will activate the muscles that support the shoulders from hanging forward and pulling on your neck. Lastly, this cue will put your head in a more neutral position rather than forward with the chin jutting out.

That was a lot of information. But stand in front of the mirror and watch how your body moves when you practice these cues. Try holding this when you're on a walk, doing the dishes, or standing in line somewhere. None of these cues need to be performed at 100% effort. Gentle and slight is a good place to start.

---

Dealing with pain or injury? Need help returning to activities you love? You do NOT need a physician’s prescription to see a physical therapist in the state of Kansas and yes, insurance still applies (check if your state has a similar practice law - in some states you still need a physician's prescription to see a PT). Marquette Physical Therapy has two locations - Leawood & De Soto, KS. We treat one-on-one with a focus on manual therapies with specialties in Graston Technique™, Dry Needling, Pelvic Floor, Vestibular/Concussion, golf, and diagnostic ultrasound.

Marquette Physical Therapy Contact Information:

• Find us at: www.marquettept.com

• Call us at 913-484-7632.

• Follow along on Instagram for more info and exercise ideas: https://www.instagram.com/marquettephysicaltherapy/