Most people sleep on their side, which is good because those who sleep on their backs are more likely to be poor sleepers or have breathing difficulties at night.
We’ve all been told our whole lives we need ‘good’ posture: sit up straight, stand straight with shoulders back, and lift by bending the knees. It turns out there’s really no evidence for that advice.
For a while it was all the rage to adopt Wonder Woman’s famous stance and other body positions that allegedly pumped up your confidence – until more studies of the phenomenon failed to find the connection.
It’s almost impossible to be without a smartphone these days – but the way we hold and sit while using them can cause an array of physical health problems.
These birds spend long periods, often asleep, standing on one leg. Is it passive biomechanics or active nervous system control of their muscles that allows them to do easily what’s impossible for us?
If you don’t alternate your posture at work, the stiffness can build, making it harder to straighten your spine. This can contribute to developing a hunched back.
More people are getting standing desks in response to our increasing knowledge about the harms of sedentary lifestyles. But can you transition to standing at work without causing yourself harm?
Jenny Downs, The Kids Research Institute Australia and Helen Leonard, The University of Western Australia
Scoliosis can affect children of all ages and can have particularly severe effects when it develops early or in association with another medical condition. If the condition progresses and becomes severe…