Keeping a good posture will not only make you look better, but is also good for your back. When you are sitting, your feet should be on the floor and your ankles should be in front of your knees. The back of your knees should be close to the front of the seat. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Make sure that the backrest supports your low and mid back.    

When standing, your weight should be placed mostly on the balls of your feet. Also, your knees should be kept bent slightly. Let your arms hang naturally. Keep your shoulders back somewhat, though you do not have to keep them completely back. Your head should be kept level. Keep your feet shoulder width apart.    

Do Not Sit for Too Long    

Surprisingly, sitting can aggravate your back more than standing. If you spend most of your day sitting, especially in an office chair, you will be more likely to place pressure on the lower spine than if you spend most of your time standing. You will want a chair that provides support for your back and encourages you to lean backward instead of leaning forward.    

Stretching Your Back Muscles    

You will want to get up regularly and stretch to make sure that your back does not get too tense. The upper back can be stretched by moving the head forward and touching the chin to the chest. Another approach is to lay on your back, bring your knees to your chest while bending it and simultaneously stretch your head toward your knees. This will put you in a fetal position.    

Another important stretch is the hip stretch. This is performed by stepping to the side with one foot, bending one leg and placing weight on that leg while keeping the other leg straight. The back also can be stretched by laying on the back and bending one knee. Then, pull that knee toward the chest and hold it.    

You can stretch your upper back by sitting down on your knees with your feet behind you. Then, keeping your calves in the same position, stretch your arms out as far forward as you can. This will stretch your upper back.    

A very simple stretch is the one where you interlock your fingers and stretch your hands out in front of you with your palms extended in front. While this will stretch your fingers, it also stretches your back.    

Strengthening Your Back    

You can strengthen your upper back using weight training. To do this, lean forward as if you are bowing and hold that position. Then grab weights and pull them toward your chest. Then, lower the weights. Start with the lightest weights possible to learn how to perform the workout correctly. You must be very careful performing back exercises because you can injure your back if you lift too much weight.    

Hire a Portland Chiropractor    

If you find that you have a difficult time standing straight, you might want to consult with a chiropractor about how you can improve your posture. Portland chiropractors are experts in the anatomy of the back and bone structure. They can use different chiropractic techniques to help you improve your posture and they also can provide advice on how you can improve posture yourself.    

How Does a Portland Chiropractor Help Posture?  

A Portland chiropractor will examine your posture and will determine what is wrong with it. He or she will look at how your stance changes, how your knees are aligned, differences in your shoulder height, changes in gait and other factors. The chiropractor can then provide advice on how to improve the posture.