Why good posture matters...

Posture is much more than simply standing up straight. It is the way your body holds itself

during everyday activities, from sitting at your desk and walking the dog to lifting shopping bags or exercising. Good posture allows your muscles, joints and spine to work efficiently, reducing unnecessary strain and helping you move with greater ease throughout life.

As we age, poor posture can gradually lead to stiffness, reduced mobility, neck and back pain, headaches, shallow breathing and even poorer balance. Rounded shoulders and a forward head position are particularly common, often caused by spending hours looking at phones, computers or driving. Over time, these habits can weaken important postural muscles while tightening others, making good posture increasingly difficult to maintain.

A simple way to assess your posture is to stand with your back against a wall. Your heels,

buttocks and upper back should comfortably touch the wall, while the back of your head should rest there without forcing your chin upwards. There should be a small natural curve at your lower back where you can slide a hand through. Notice whether one shoulder sits higher than the other, whether your head naturally pokes forward or whether your weight rests more on one foot. You can also ask someone to take a photograph of you from the front and side while standing naturally. These images often reveal postural habits that we dont notice ourselves.

When you consider gravity and how we stand, it makes sense to be as upright as possible,

reducing the pull of gravity on our bodies.This is the most efficient way of standing, be upright, why work at it? Standing to attention for hours on a parade square isn't something that most of us have, or will do, but we can take a leaf out of the drill sergeant’s book and ‘stand straight!’

The good news is that posture can usually be improved through regular movement. Gentle yoga is particularly effective because it combines stretching, strengthening, balance and body awareness.

Many people with poor posture have tight chest muscles, hip flexors, hamstrings and the

muscles across the front of the shoulders. These areas benefit from slow, controlled stretching that gradually restores mobility.

At the same time, other muscles often need strengthening. These include the deep abdominal muscles, the upper back muscles between the shoulder blades, the gluteal muscles, the spinal stabilisers and the deep muscles of the neck. Strengthening these areas helps support the spine in a more natural position without creating tension.

Yoga also teaches us to breathe more effectively. As posture improves, the rib cage can expand more freely, allowing deeper, calmer breathing that supports both physical performance and mental wellbeing.

Improving posture is not about striving for perfection or standing rigidly. Instead, it is about

creating a body that moves efficiently, feels comfortable and remains resilient for years to come.

Just a few gentle yoga sessions each week can help reduce aches and pains, improve balance and flexibility, and build the strength needed to support healthy posture throughout life.