Posture and Back Pain – Lessons Learned at Finishing School

Posture and Back Pain – Lessons Learned at Finishing School

We’ve all watched those old TV shows or movies where girls are sent to 

finishing school to get “refined.” They walk around with books on their head 

while a woman with a tight chignon and even tighter pursed lips follows 

behind with a conductor’s wand. Those books perched on the head were 

meant to improve the debutant's posture.

Because poor posture could be causing your back pain, are these old 

“posture perfect” methods worth a second look? Perhaps.

The spine has a natural curve in it, designed to help us move and bend and 

flex. Muscles support the spine, allowing us to do all that moving and 

bending and flexing with ease.

It is interesting that most of us don’t know what proper posture really is. 

When we stand in line, we will lean to one side or back against the wall. At 

work, we are hunched over the computer or have the telephone pinched 

between our neck and shoulder. And, let’s not get started with how we 

sleep. Proper posture or “alignment” is largely forgotten or was never known 

by many people.

Let’s go back to finishing school shall we? If you are having pain in your 

back on a consistent basis, take stock of how you stand, sit, lay and bend 

throughout the day. These movements could be contributing to the pain in 

your back, neck, shoulders, hips, and legs. 

Here’s what happens when the body is out of alignment. The muscles are 

stretched and contorted to accommodate an unnatural position; unnatural to 

your body, that is. It is that stretching and contortion that causes the first 

signs of back pain. Over time, your muscles start to knot up, or even spasm, 

under the strain. Long term muscle stretching and contortions can result in 

long term muscle disfigurement, meaning long term pain.

Here are a few ways to improve your posture and alleviate that back pain 

before it becomes a more serious problem.

•  Get new shoes – Many of us wear our shoes unevenly and don’t even 

know it. If we were to try and stand level on a board we would be 

listing to one side or the other. Our bodies are out of alignment. 

Choose shoes that have built in arches and a shock-absorbing sole.

•  Revamp your workspace – Systems of office furniture have been 

developed to deal with posture and alignment. These systems are 

often referred to as ergonomic designs. There are chairs, computer 

keyboards, phone attachments, and more, that are designed to keep 

your posture aligned perfectly. Invest in these systems for a healthy 

back – and increased efficiency, as it's hard to be productive when 

you're in pain.

•  Change your mattress – Do you wake up with back pain? It could be 

a lumpy, uneven, or worn out mattress at fault. Some of the new 

“adjustable” mattresses allow you to tailor it to your needs and body 

type. There are others that are made with memory foam to conform to 

your body shape. Don’t forget the pillow. There are pillows that are 

specially designed to cradle the head in such a way that the spine is 

kept perfectly aligned throughout the night.

•  Take a lesson from finishing school – Simply being aware of how 

you are walking, standing, and sitting will be a start in correcting your 

posture. As you sit at your desk, set a timer to remind yourself every 

three to five minutes to sit up straight. Many of us round our shoulders 

over the keyboard. This timer going off will, over time, make us more

aware of our proper posture. When standing, pull in your abdomen.

This not only makes you look better, but the abdomen helps support 

the back, reducing back pain almost immediately and training the 

abdomen to give the back a little assist. And, yes, pretend you have a 

book on top of your head when you're walking. Chin up, level steps, 

uplifted chest, and straight back will carry the invisible book 

beautifully. 

With lessons learned from finishing school and a few tricks and tools to help 

you improve your posture, you could start to notice that back pain lessen, 

even disappear. Evaluate your body alignment and use these “perfect 

posture” recommendations to resolve your back pain issues and enjoy better 

all around health.

***