Posture refers to the position of your body at any given point in time.

Developing and maintaining good posture is vital to your health because it allows for efficient breathing and minimal stress on your musculo­skeletal system.

When assessing your posture, keep some of these key tips in mind:

● When seated, attempt to maintain right angles in your major joint. 

○ To do this, your feet will need to be flat on the floor and your chair height  should be set to allow your knees and hips to be flexed to 90 degrees while your back is straight and tall. 

○ Your work area (keyboard or desk, etc) should be close enough for you to reach while your elbows are back, even with your spine, and flexed to 90 degrees as well.

● Keep your work in front of you. Whether seated or standing, your computer monitor or other work should be directly in front of you to avoid having to twist your torso or neck.

● Keep monitors just above eye level. To avoid neck and shoulder strain, position your monitor so the vertical center is 2 inches above your eyes when looking straight ahead. 

○ It may be helpful to actually balance a small book on your head while setting up your monitor height to ensure you start with good posture.

● When you feel joint stress, take action. If you notice that your back is feeling tired or tight, don't just sit there and grind it out. Get up and move. Dance wildly, if necessary. You may find that your coworkers will want to join in!

● To maintain healthy standing posture, remember to pull the "silver thread" that runs through the center of your body from the top of your head to the center of your feet. This imaginary thread will help you to stand taller and balanced.

Ask your coach for more details on the “silver thread”.