Posture is defined as the position in which the body is held while standing, sitting or lying down. Whether good posture or posture bra, both are developed through habit. As a child, if one heeded their Mother's advice to "stop slouching" or "sit up straight", the odds are that as an adult they will have good posture. Benefits of good posture include the reduced likelihood of developing the aches and pains of having bad posture.

Good or proper posture provides the following benefits:

Decreases abnormal weight bearing of the joints reducing the likelihood of arthritis. Maintains bones and joints in proper alignment so that muscles work efficiently. Lessens the stress on the ligaments of the spine and prevents the spine from becoming fixed in an abnormal position. Prevents backache and muscular strain. Enhances one's overall appearance.

Poor, bad or improper posture is caused when the curves of the spine are decreased or increased forcing the muscles, joints and ligaments to work harder. In addition to the obvious effects such as back, neck and shoulder pain, other studies indicate that poor posture can affect life expectancy, inhibit blood circulation, slows down gastro-intestinal processes causing constipation, and affects breathing function.

Poor posture can lead to rounded shoulders (slouching) causing neck pain and pain in-between the shoulder blades. A head-forward position may also result placing excessive strain on the spine. The head-forward position causes neck, upper back, and shoulder pain. A sway back or excessive anterior tilt causes an exaggerated arch in the lower back resulting in lower back pain.

Tips on how to improve posture include:

Slouching– More common while sitting rather than standing. Slouching can be corrected in many people by simply developing a habit of keeping the body in proper position. In some people, the muscles of the shoulders and chest have tightened (shortened) due to chronic slouching. Stretching exercises for these muscles will gradually lengthen the muscles returning them to a more normal position.

Head-forward– This results in headaches, neck and upper back pain due to shortening and tightening of the muscles in the back of the neck. Performing gentle neck stretches will help to lengthen the muscles again.

Excessive Anterior Tilt – Keeping a neutral pelvis position (neither too forward or backward) is crucial in maintaining the spine's natural curve. As the hip flexor and abdominal muscles are involved in maintaining a neutral pelvis position, strengthening exercises for these muscles is extremely beneficial. The best exercise to do that is the plank exercise. The plank exercise engages all of the abdominal muscles including the deep layer muscles.

Good or proper posture now is best described as that position where one's body weight is equally distributed while adding the least amount of stress on tendons, muscles, and joints. If viewed from the side, the spine in proper alignment curves in at the neck, slightly out at the upper back, and then in again at the lower back. These curves balance each other ensuring that gravity's pull is equally distributed.