Posture Should be Easy, Part One: Sitting Pretty, Pretty Easily

What is it about good posture that is so difficult for so many people? Most of us were told/nagged to sit up straight as kids, but even as adults we have all kinds of trouble maintaining the habit. Mostly, our problem is a lack of awareness of how to find good posture in the first place, without it becoming an endurance sport. Since we have to work so hard at posture, it's no surprise that our attention span and muscles eventually give out, and we end up slumping through our days.

Nonetheless, poor posture may result in all kinds of health problems, ranging from headaches to compromised breathing and digestion. Besides, we look and feel more effective and alert when we are upright and at ease, whether we're sitting or standing. And it does feel good when you get the hang of it.

Here are a few tips to get you started with sitting:

1) Sit on your "sit bones," technically called the ischial tuberosities- here's a good picture. They're the big rounded bones in your butt which can easily support your weight. Sitting on these instead of back toward your tailbone will automatically make it easier for the rest of your body to balance. Sometimes you need to slide your butt backwards a little to really get over them. You can roll forward and back a little on them to see what is comfortable for you.

2) If you have an adjustable chair, get it as flat as possible, so you're not leaning back. This goes along with tip number one- if you are balanced in the first place, your shoulders and neck won't feel the need to sneak steadily forward.

3) Better yet, use a regular chair, and don't use the back of it except for slouching breaks.

4) Get your feet flat on the floor, and your hips slightly higher than your knees. The idea is that you could roll a pencil down your thigh if you were so inclined. This helps your feet and legs participate in your posture a little bit, giving support to your core and spine.

5) If you have a chair that makes you lean back, as in a car, get one of those little travel pillows at a drug store (they should run under $5), and try placing it across your back, just below the bottom of your shoulder blades. This is different than a lumbar support approach, because you want to angle your whole body into a more upright position. It helps take pressure off of your neck and shoulders, and trains your big core and spinal muscle crew to do their jobs effectively.

Try these out, and also remember that there is no one perfect posture for us humans- as vertical animals, we're built to move around a lot, and our desk jockey ways of life are a recent and someone problematic invention. So feel free to change postures frequently, cross your legs sometimes, etc. Awareness is your friend: notice what really works for your body, and you'll have a much better time.