Standing Comfortably for Your Back and Neck

One of the most important things to consider in terms of a healthy back and neck is posture. A good posture involves training your body to sit, walk, lie and stand in positions that put the least strain on your body as possible. To practise a healthy standing position:

• Stand against a wall with your heels approximately 6 centimetres away from the wall.

• Move the small of your back toward the wall by tilting your pelvis.

• Keep your knees slightly bent and make sure not to lock them in a straight position.

• Ideally, your shoulders are in a straight line with your torso and not rounded forward and slumped over.

• Your head is fairly centred over the top of your chest and in a level position, and your neck is fairly straight, with a slight forward curve.

Always try to move about and alternate your position frequently (about every 20 minutes) if you have to stand for a long period of time. Change positions to keep your muscles and spine relaxed.