Do you cringe when you see older women permanently hunched over, unable to stand straight no matter how hard they try? Do think that hunched over posture could never happen to you? Think again. Your posture is integral in your physical and mental wellbeing and, unless you work on it, your posture health will suffer and you just may end up with permanently poor posture. Margaret Richard, author of Body Electric and fitness guru for the PBS program Body Electric shares her tips to perfect your posture.

A healthy posture requires training your body to stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions that put the least amount of strain on supportive muscles and ligaments. Your backbone is composed of 33 vertically stacked bones, called vertebrae, that are cushioned by discs. You may think those disks and spinal fluid would be enough to protect your spinal cord and nerves. However, it is your posture that best protects your spine and the rest of your body from injury.

Straighten your back: Tips to have a healthy posture | Sheknows.com