Standing is normal
The human body is designed to move. Your joints need to move frequently in order to limit the amount of stress placed on your body’s structures and to maintain muscle activation that we often neglect.
Prolonged static positions, regardless of which, nearly always become uncomfortable. Human beings are extremely adaptable and resilient, and standing is one of many positions that we tolerate well. Over the course of human evolution, humans transitioned from moving on all fours to standing upright, freeing up our arms and hands to use tools.
Strive for perfection
The optimal standing posture is the one in which there is the least amount of stress on the joints. For most, when looking at someone from the side, the earlobe should line up with the tip of the shoulder, which lines up with the center of the thorax, above the hip and knee joints, and in line with the outer ankle. All things considered, the ideal standing position is one in which minimal muscle activity is required to maintain it.
Certain standing postures cause stress on our joints and become problematic. Our standing posture may be unknowingly effected by articular stiffness or laxity, muscular weakness, lack of endurance, and lengthened or tight muscles. As much as we rely on our muscles to stay active to keep us standing, after a while we tend to lean on the body’s passive structures. One way to correct this is to keep the knees slightly bent instead of locking them straight, and remember to activate the gluteal muscles.
Movement is the key
During the day, it is vital to give your body every possible opportunity to move. Although you may be able to assume your perfect posture, your body still craves movement! Muscles allow your joints to mobilize, and in turn participate in activities that you enjoy. With increased muscle activity there is even a contribution to various physiological processes in your body that helps prevent and manage certain diseases.
See how to apply these tips every day in the following column: Get up and move!
