Why your poor posture could be shortening your life
When your mother told you to 'sit up straight' (or as dance teachers put it, 't--s out, tummy in') she was onto something. Good 'posture' (derived from the Latin ponere, meaning 'to put' or 'place') is something most of us are blessed with at birth. But over the years we begin to stoop, droop, slouch and slump – with lasting implications for our bodies.
Catie Miller is a former dancer who's built a career on spine health and founded the Barre Series.
' Poor posture is far more than an aesthetic issue, it's a silent threat to your long-term health and affects everything, from how well you breathe to how efficiently your organs work,' she says.
The most obvious posture-related ailment has to be back ache. In the UK, 2.5 million of us suffer from chronic back pain every day. It's the most commonly reported health condition for people aged 30-50, and musculoskeletal disorders are among the top causes of work absenteeism.
But there are other, more surprising health issues that have been associated with poor posture, such as headaches. The American Migraine Foundation found that people with migraines showed more evidence of 'neck dysfunction' than the general population. Other studies have linked forward head posture (the jutting out of chin and curving of the neck) with tension headaches.
'It makes sense really, as bad posture can increase shoulder tension, which over time can lead to headaches,' explains Dr Tom Oates, a consultant physician at the Royal London Hospital. 'So for some people, a reset of posture might be enough to reduce or even eliminate the cephalalgia (head pain).'
We all know how crucial our shut eye is to our health and general well being, and studies have show the correlation between sleeping positions deemed as 'provocative' to our spines – and restless nights. 'Deficient posture can put your entire system of muscles in a compromising position interfering with your night's sleep, and we are learning more and more about how detrimental for general health poor sleep can be,' says Dr Oates.
Digestion can be another casualty according to Dr Oates. 'If you neglect to consciously stand, carry shopping, or sit properly, eventually your there will be compression on your organs, slowing the digestive process and causing stomach issues. Perhaps unsurprisingly, upright posture has been shown to improve transit of intestinal gas – and therefore might help overall digestion.'
Studies have even linked poor posture to incontinence. Slouching increases abdominal pressure which then puts pressure on our bladders. And how we stand can also decrease our pelvic floor muscles ability to hold tight against that pressure. Another motivating factor to standing straight.
Miller (whose own perfectly straight posture makes her seem much taller than her actual 5ft 7in, I can't help noticing) is an American now living in Britain, whose own mentor is the physician Dr Jack Kreindler.
'Particularly from our 40s onward, spinal degeneration kicks in, narrowing spinal discs and reduced elasticity become far more common,' Dr Kreindler explains. 'These sorts of changes really accelerate ageing from the inside out, especially as they're made worse by our sedentary modern lifestyles.'
'Since we started to walk on two legs, and because we live relatively long lives, spines face more pressures than originally intended. The discs between the spine bones bulge and break over time and our postures in the modern reality of computers, cars, phones, and desks put on more pressure still.'
Dr Kreindler and Miller passionately believe that flexing our discs should be a priority for all of us, to helps get more oxygen to the area by enabling the lungs, abdomen and viscera (soft organs) to have more space and flexibility.
I strongly suspect my own spine isn't in the best shape, thanks to sitting at a desk for eight hours a day (which we're constantly told is as bad for us as smoking). Plus I'm on a Tube for almost a further two more and, come the evening time, I'm rather partial to my sofa. None of this bodes well for my spine health.
Miller suggests that while turning 40 is the time people often start wondering if they need Botox or hair transplants, we'd be better off asking whether the true secret to a more youthful appearance actually lies internally. A hunchback and sloping shoulder adds years, but the encouraging news is that lots can be done once you know what needs correcting.
'Consistent exercise and conscious awareness have to work together,' says Miller. 'Strengthening the body through intelligent movement, while regularly checking in with posture, allows us to gently realign, rebalance, and restore our body's healthy mechanics over time.'
'Our posture really is a key indicator of how well we're ageing, ultimately, the way we move through life needs to support our clarity of mind, restorative sleep, and healthy bodies which are both resilient, adaptable and ready to cope with every challenge we face over the decades.'
To allow Telegraph readers to learn from my own unsightly postural mistakes, I gamely pull on the Lycra and allow Miller to give my poise the once over. Here, she walks me through the things I'm doing wrong – and what I need to do instead...
Standing
Are you guilty of what Miller dubs the 'queue slouch'? Standing in line, hips swayed forward, chest collapsed, with your shoulders rounded? Let's be honest, you're probably on your phone too. And chances are you've shifted your weight into one hip, perhaps a hangover from the days of having a toddler constantly perched on one (and yes, you probably always favoured dumping the weight into one particular side, further compounding the damage).
The commonly seen 'queue slouch' really strains the lower back, says Miller, and over time this creates what she calls 'muscular imbalances'. As one side of your body grows weaker, the other side learns to compensate, and then you're on the path so all sorts of unwelcome bodily niggles. 'It's not about perfection, it's about creating lasting habits that support your body's best expression, every single day,' says Miller.
Miller instead teaches her students the 'active stand' (think grounded feet, long spine, light ribs),
'This small shift activates our deep stabilising muscles,' she says. 'It's important to remember that almost every move we make in our daily life – from the way we sit at a desk to how we carry shopping bags or hold a child – naturally impacts how we stand and how our personal 'plumb line' aligns.'
I follow her advice, trying to relax my shoulders and hold my head high. After decades of careless standing, holding myself correctly feels a little unnatural at first, but I can't help noticing it does make me look a bit slimmer and my legs look more elongated.
Why this is bad
Compresses your diaphragm and limits full, nourishing breaths
Strains the lumbar spine
Promotes tight hip flexors and weak glutes
What to do instead
Stand with your feet hip-width apart
Lightly engage your core by drawing your navel to spine
Stack ribs over hips and hips over heels
Soften knees, lift through the crown of your head
Take a few deep breaths into your ribs, feeling the spine lengthen
Sitting at a desk
Spending nine hours a day seated (as is the national average) is already associated with a host of health risks, obesity and heart disease to name two. But for many of us, long periods of sitting is unavoidable for our work. Getting up more and stretching is recommended, but it's just as important to ensure the way we sit causes as least harm as possible.
The biggest crime when it comes to our seated posture, says Miller, is to slump down and create a 'desk cave' with our spines. 'That's when we typically round our upper backs, with our chins jutting forward, and have our shoulders internally rotating as we reach for the keyboard,' she says.
Are you also guilty of eating lunch at your desk? Don't, you're storing up further health woes. Slouching post-meal puts pressure on the abdomen, forcing stomach acid in the wrong direction which can trigger heartburn and acid reflux.
Why this is bad
Leads to forward head posture and neck strain
Weakens mid-back muscles
Restricts deep diaphragmatic breathing
Contributes to tech neck, tension headaches, and poor focus
What to do instead
Sit tall with feet flat and knees at 90 degrees
Find your sit bones and lengthen your spine upwards
Imagine a string lifting you from the crown of your head
Open your chest without flaring the ribs
Place hands softly on your thighs, shoulders relaxed
Placement of your feet is key
Rather than assuming good posture is about pushing out your chest as dance teachers may instruct, it actually all starts in your trotters, as you need to create a strong foundation, says Miller.
It's the position of your feet which determines how you recruit muscles, balance weight, and stack your joints, she explains. 'A mindful foot stance creates a ripple effect through the body, it encourages neutral spine placement, healthy hip alignment, and a strong, supported core. Without that grounded base, imbalances travel upward, leading to compensation patterns that can strain your posture over time.'
Watching TV
It's natural to want to recline when you're chilling out after work, but the 'sofa slump' is a crime against posture and the sure to premature hunch-backing it seems.
'Trust me I know how tempting it is for everyone to sink deep into their sofas, with their hips tucked under and their shoulders hunched forward. Chances are their head rests awkwardly on their arm. None of this is great!' says Miller.
Instead, she teaches students the 'supported soft sit'. She suggests cue-ing your core every so often, but thinking more along the lines of 'soft activation', rather than gripping as if you were actively exercising. 'Movement is built on stable, smart alignment, not tension,' she says.
Why this is bad
Compresses the lower spine
Can create shoulder impingement
Disrupts natural curves of the spine
Reduces oxygen intake
What to do instead
Sit upright on the edge of a cushion or fold a blanket under your hips
Keep feet on the floor, knees slightly lower than hips
If reclining, support your lower back with a small cushion and stack your spine
Keep your chin slightly tucked to maintain cervical alignment
Lying down
Lying down at the end of a long day, is there anything better? Well, not if you're doing it the wrong way it seems. The so-called 'bed collapse' might be my favourite nighttime position, but the foetal position with your chin tucked tightly and knees hugged inwards, is doing us no favours. Nor is lying flat with no head or knee support, if that's more your style.
Here's how we should be positioning our bodies to rest instead, and for bonus points Miller suggests ending your day with three deep breaths to help tune into your body's natural rhythm of release before you turn off the light.
Why this is bad
Can compress the neck and upper spine
Leads to back stiffness or disrupted sleep
Impacts breathing and recovery
What to do instead
Lie on your back with a small pillow under your knees to soften the lower spine
Place a folded towel or soft pillow under your head to keep neck neutral
Shoulders relaxed, palms facing up
Breathe deeply into the ribs for 3–5 minutes
The spine workout
Once postural issues become chronic, they're much harder to reverse, says Miller. Structural changes like disc bulging or degeneration can occur, reducing mobility and increasing pain. That's why early intervention through functional movement practices are crucial. 'These simple exercises help build awareness in the body, restore our natural alignment, and strengthen supporting muscles to prevent further deterioration,' says Miller. 'The goal isn't just temporary relief; it's long-term resilience and wellbeing.'
Here are three exercises to work out your spine and keep your body supple:
Stand with your feet hip width apart, lengthened spine and shoulders down
Inhale, draw your tummy muscles towards your spine
Exhale, tuck your chin to your chest, letting your shoulders fall forwards and your arms dangle down. Keep your knees slightly bent
Curve your upper back and roll your spine down towards the floor, one vertebra at a time
When you've got as far as you can, tuck your tail bone under and make sure your tummy muscles are still engaged and inhale
Exhale slowly as you roll back up, use your core muscles to re-stack the spine with the head last to come up.
Start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
Inhale, drop your belly, arch your back, and lift your head and tail bone (cow pose).
Exhale, round your back, tuck your pelvis, and draw your chin towards your chest (cat pose).
Repetitions: Perform 8-10 repetitions, focusing on slow, deep breathing.
Muscles worked: Spinal erectors, abdominals, and pelvic muscles.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Tilt your pelvis upward, pressing your lower back into the floor, then release.
Repetitions: Perform 10 controlled and rhythmic tilts.
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