P is for Posture – The Invisible Architecture of Health

“I have great posture… when I remember” – How you stand shapes how you age.

Posture isn’t just about looking confident and commanding—it’s about function. The way you carry your body affects your breathing, circulation, digestion, and even shapes your mood. Slouching compresses your lungs, stresses your spine, and tightens muscles that shouldn’t be tight. Over time, poor posture leads to chronic pain, reduced mobility, and premature wear on joints. Modern life doesn’t help. We’re hunched over phones, laptops, and steering wheels for hours a day. This forward-leaning, head-drooping stance puts excessive strain on the neck and back. It also contributes to the dreaded “tech neck” and “text hump.”

Poor posture for many young women may start in early adolescence, when they instinctively begin to slouch or hunch their shoulders forward as a subconscious response to feelings of embarrassment, unwanted attention, or discomfort with the rapid changes their bodies are undergoing. In older women, years of being hunched over a desk or computer compounded by bone loss that may occur with age, may lead to the so-called Dowager’s hump.

But here’s the good news: posture is trainable and remediable. Even small daily adjustments can relieve tension and restore alignment. Good posture supports longevity because it reduces stress on bones and muscles and allows organs to function optimally.

3 Easy Action Steps:

Adjust your workspace. Screen at eye level, feet flat, and hips above knees to support a natural seated position.Or work at a standing desk and be aware of how you stand.

Set a timer to check your posture. Every 30–60 minutes, do a quick reset—shoulders back, spine tall, head up. I have an app that reminds me every hour to move and get at least 250 steps – a number BTW that I think is far to low!

Strengthen your core. Planks, bridges, and Pilates movements help stabilize the spine and support better posture.

Long term Action Steps: Book a one-on-one talk with Dr. Gillian Lockitch

Check out the many episodes on fitness, stretching, bone and muscle health in the Growing Older Living Younger podcast.

email me at askdrgill@gmail.com if you want some suggestions

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