Top Stories

--Stephanie Oakes
NEW YORK (CBS) ― We spend so much time slouched in front of the computer, TV and steering wheel that it's worth being reminded about the importance of posture.

The essence of good posture is a natural skeletal balance maintained by muscles strong enough to hold everything in place. It is almost impossible to have good posture and not be fit.

The back and abdominal muscles must be strong and flexible to support the spine, so strengthening and stretching are key.

Fit Tips
Weight-bearing exercises (including walking, running, hiking, aerobics and stair climbing) work directly on the bones in the lower spine, hips and legs to help reduce mineral loss, which can cause compression fractures in the spine and contribute to osteoporosis. Try to do a weight-bearing activity every day.

Regular weight training helps preserve and build bone density. Putting stress on the bones during physical activity encourages them to increase their calcium content, making them stronger, denser and less prone to injury.

It's important to concentrate on strengthening the rhomboid muscles (the ones between your shoulders).

Upper Back Exercise
Sit in a chair and lean forward so your chest rests on your thighs. Stretch out your arms to the side and turn them, with elbows and thumbs pointed to the ceiling. Then lift your arms to make the tips of your thumbs meet. Add weight to challenge your muscles.

Downward Facing Dog
Come onto the floor on your hands and knees.
Set your knees directly below your hips and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders.

Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out, and turn your toes under.

1. Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor. At first keep the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it lightly toward the pubis. Against this resistance, lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling, and from your inner ankles draw the inner legs up into the groins.

2. Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor. Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them. Firm the outer thighs and roll the upper thighs inward slightly. Narrow the front of the pelvis.

3. Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively into the floor. From these two points lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders. Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone. Keep the head between the upper arms; don't let it hang.

4. Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes.

Shoulder Stretch
1. Stand straight with both feet flat on the floor and both arms at your sides.

2. Extend arms out to each side, with elbows straight and palms facing down. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds.

3. Keeping both arms outstretched, move both palms together over your head. Both arms should be extended upward.

4. Slowly bend your left arm at the elbow so that your left hand drops behind your head.

5. Place your right hand on your left elbow and exert pressure on the left arm by gently pulling the elbow behind your head. You should feel the left shoulder stretch. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds.

6. Switch arms and pull your right elbow with your left hand. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds.

7. Repeat exercise for both shoulders two or three times.

8. Bring arms back to original position.

Chest Stretch
With arm extended, position hand on fixed structure shoulder height. Turn your body away from positioned arm. Hold stretch. Repeat with opposite arm.

Posture At Your Desk
Ideally your desk should be about belly button level with your elbows just below the desktop. You may need to raise your desk or if it is too high then raise your chair and use a footrest.

If you use the telephone quite a bit then you may want to invest in a headset. Do not perch the telephone between your ear and shoulder!

You should be sitting right back in your chair not perched off the front. Pull your chair right in so that your fingers comfortably reach the keyboard and so that your back and shoulders are straight and supported by the back of your chair.

If you do not have a tilt option on your chair then sit on a wedge cushion to give some extra lift at the back of your seat.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)