'Good posture is not about being poker straight — it’s about releasing tension'
Megan Roantree at her home in Rush, Co. Dublin
I’m convinced I’d actually be a few inches taller if I just stood up straight. Most of the time, my back is hunched, curved, and stiff. I’ll catch my reflection in the mirror of a cafe, and awkwardly fix myself for a few seconds, before realising it’s actually really uncomfortable to sit regally straight.
Even when I’m sleeping, my posture is bad. I’ll wake with my shoulders tucked tightly around my neck, curved inward toward my chin. Much like blinking open my eyes, part of my morning routine is to release my achy shoulders and attempt to straighten my back. This year, I’m determined to fix my posture for good.
Assistant clinical director and physiotherapist at Spectrum Health, Dublin, Aidan Murphy explains that our idea of the ‘perfect’ posture needs to be unlearned before it can be improved. “Posture is best understood as dynamic, something that shifts naturally throughout the day,” he says. “It’s not about holding one perfect position but being able to adjust comfortably to different tasks.”
While many factors contribute to poor posture, working from home and a poor ergonomic setup are among the things Murphy has seen increase.
“Environmental elements such as chair height, desk layout, lighting, and temperature can influence how your body responds.”
When it comes to improving posture and long-term issues, he recommends getting expert support. “It’s best to speak directly with a chartered physiotherapist. They can identify underlying causes such as muscle tightness, weakness, or joint restriction and design a targeted treatment plan.”
That said, there are things you can do at home to make improvements: “Change position every 20-30 minutes, incorporate micro-stretches like shoulder rolls and neck rotations.
“When sitting, aim to keep your hips slightly higher than your knees to reduce back stress. Don’t forget to lift your arms above your head every hour if you are sitting for work — your back and neck will thank you.”
In my search for improvement, one method appeared again and again — the Alexander Technique. Famed by George Bernard Shaw, Judi Dench, and, more recently, songwriter Conor O’Brien of Villagers, it promises to help you align your body. While it can help dancers and singers, it also promises to improve posture.
“It’s about really understanding and being aware of what you’re doing with your body, in all activities,” explains Dublin-based Alexander Technique practitioner Lucy Champion: “There are everyday habits where we might be overworking our bodies.”
We often hear the phrase ‘unclench your jaw’ as a self-care tip. This is one of the basic principles of the Alexander Technique. What are we engaging, holding and straining when there is really no need to be doing so?
Following a compassionate chat with Champion, I book a session to learn more and see if it really can help me. We start by discussing my problem areas and lifestyle. I explain that hunched shoulders, as well as hours on a laptop and phone, are probably my main issues.
She first assesses how I sit and what might help.
Then she very gently lifts and extends my neck and chin to guide me into the proper sitting position. She also points out that sitting forward and not using my sit bones is straining my posture. The simple adjustment almost instantly transforms how I hold myself.
She lifts my forearm with her two hands and asks me to let it drop when she lets go. Amusingly, my arms stay taut and raised even when she lets go, highlighting how much tension I am holding in my arms.
Champion explains that I don’t need to engage the muscles in my arms when I’m not using them — such as crossing my arms when I’m standing, or tensing my forearms when typing — as they contribute to tension and affect posture.
Next, it is on to the massage table for a semi-supine exercise, also known as constructive rest. This involves lying with books under my head to help align my body.
Champion begins working on my problem areas by gently applying pressure to tense parts of my body, encouraging me to let go of tension and visualise a feeling of dropping so I can fully relax.
She explains that this is a slow and steady process, and while I hugely feel the benefits of it on the day, she assures me that it requires practice and consistency to fully reap the rewards, and that it can be done at home with a bit of focus. She suggests lying on a flat surface for about five minutes a day, and allowing the neck and spine to lengthen while thinking about melting into the floor, as well as doing a simple body check throughout the day and seeing what tension can be released.
We then practise everyday tasks, such as holding a phone and typing on a laptop. Once again, Champion highlights which body parts I am using unnecessarily and over-exerting. She makes a simple suggestion: Hold the phone higher, almost parallel to my face. This tiny transformative change puts less strain on many tense parts of my body.
Champion suggests applying the technique to everyday tasks like chopping vegetables as the perfect time to assess my neck, shoulders, arms, and even the pressure I am putting on my legs.
While so much of the Alexander Technique is simply everyday awareness and assessments, a professional session helps me identify my personal issues and recognise them when they occur going forward.
When I leave the session, I feel 10ft tall, long and limber, like a Mr Stretch doll.
Thanks to the Alexander Technique, I understand the true meaning of good posture. It’s not about being poker straight — it’s about simple check-ins that release tension, add comfort, and, in turn, improve posture.
Good posture is not about being poker straight — it’s about releasing tension and adding comfort
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