Six myths about good posture and your health

DAYTON, Ohio — When most people think of good posture, they think of shoulders pulled back, head held high, chin up and back flat.

In reality, good posture is more about trying to keep the natural curves of the back in balance when standing, sitting or lying down. When these curves are in their resting or neutral state, they experience the least amount of strain.

Good posture improves circulation and breathing, boosts the nervous system, enhances exercise performance, reduces risk of injury and accelerates healing from injury.

The spinal column has many important functions, including providing support and protection of the spinal cord and nerve roots. It consists of small bones, the vertebrae, stacked one on top of the other like blocks, and discs that act as shock absorbers and allow the spine to move.

The cervical (neck) area of the spine supports the weight of your head, the thoracic (mid-back) area provides stability and support to the upper back, while the lumbar area of the spine relates to the lower back. Below the lumbar area is the sacrum, which connects the spine to the lower half of the body. At the bottom of the spine is the coccyx or tailbone.

When the vertebrae are misaligned, the natural curves in the spine are thrown out of place, creating stress and strain on muscles, joints and ligaments, which in turn, affects posture.

Many myths and misconceptions exist about how to establish good posture. In her book "8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back," author Esther Gokhale uses historical and scientific evidence to help sort fact from fiction.

Myth 1: If you want to correct poor posture, just straighten up.

Forcing a straight body position does nothing to address the root cause of poor posture and can bring about muscle tension and distortion of the spine. Eventually, the discomfort and fatigue causes most people to return to slouching.

Myth 2: Keeping your chin up and chest out constitutes great posture.

Pushing the chest out and tilting the head back creates muscle tension and exaggerates the cervical and lumbar curves, potentially hindering circulation to these areas and pinching nerve roots.

Myth 3: Having good posture requires mental and physical effort.