The benefits of good posture - Murat Dalkilinç

Translator: Isaí Breogán Junquera Álvarez Reviewer: Xusto Rodriguez

Has anyone ever told you, "Stand up straight!"

Algunha vez dixéronche “Ponte dereito!“

or scolded you for slouching at a family dinner?

ou chamáronche a atención por estar encurvado na mesa?

Comments like that might be annoying, but they're not wrong.

Eses comentarios poden amolar, pero teñen boa razón.

Your posture, the way you hold your body when you're sitting or standing,

A túa postura, o xeito de colocar o corpo ao sentáreste ou estar de pé

is the foundation for every movement your body makes,

senta as bases de cada movemento que o teu corpo fai

and can determine how well your body adapts to the stresses on it.

e pode determinar como de ben se adapta ás tensións que soporta.

These stresses can be things like carrying weight,

Estas tensións poden ser por levar pesos

or sitting in an awkward position.

ou por sentar en posicións inadecuadas.

And the big one we all experience all day every day: gravity.

E tamén pola maior que experimentamos todos os días, todo o día: a gravidade.

If your posture isn't optimal,

Se a túa postura non é a adecuada,

your muscles have to work harder to keep you upright and balanced.

os teus músculos fan traballo extra para manterte ergueito en equilibrio.

Some muscles will become tight and inflexbile.

Algúns deles voltaranse tensos e pouco flexibles.

Others will be inhibited.

Outros, quedarán debilitados.

Over time, these dysfunctional adaptations

Co tempo, estas malas posturas

impair your body's ability to deal with the forces on it.

alteran a capacidade que ten o teu corpo de soportar as súas propias forzas

Poor posture inflicts extra wear and tear on your joints and ligaments,

As malas posturas provocan un desgaste adicional en ligamentos e articulacións,

increases the likelihood of accidents,

incrementan a probabilidade de accidentes,

and makes some organs, like your lungs, less efficient.

e fan que algúns órganos, como os pulmóns, sexan menos eficientes.

Researchers have linked poor posture to scoliosis,

Hai investigadores que ligan as malas posturas coa escoliose,

tension headaches,

con xaquecas,

and back pain,

e con dores de costas,

though it isn't the exclusive cause of any of them.

aínda que non sexa causa exclusiva de ningunha delas.

Posture can even influence your emotional state

A postura pode afectar incluso o teu estado emocional

and your sensitivity to pain.

e a sensibilidade á dor.

So there are a lot of reasons to aim for good posture.

Como ves, hai moitas razóns polas que coidar a postura.

But it's getting harder these days.

Pero hoxe en día faise máis difícil.

Sitting in an awkward position for a long time can promote poor posture,

Pasar tempo sentado en posición incómoda, pode provocar malas posturas,

and so can using computers or mobile devices,

igual que utilizar móbiles e ordenadores,

que te levan a mirar cara a abaixo.

which encourage you to look downward.

Many studies suggest that, on average, posture is getting worse.

Moitos estudos suxiren que a postura media é cada vez peor.

So what does good posture look like?

Pero entón, que é unha boa postura?

When you look at the spine from the front or the back,

Se miras a columna vertebral de fronte ou por detrás,

all 33 vertebrae should appear stacked in a straight line.

as 33 vértebras deben aparecer aliñadas.

From the side, the spine should have three curves:

Dende o costado, a columna debería ter tres curvaturas.

one at your neck, one at your shoulders, and one at the small of your back.

unha no pescozo, outra nos ombreiros, e outra na zona lumbar.

You aren't born with this s-shaped spine.

Pero non nacemos con esta forma.

Babies' spines just have one curve like a "c."

As columnas dos bebés só teñen unha curva, con forma de “c”.

The other curves usually develop by 12-18 months

As outras dúas, desenvólvense entre os 12-18 meses

as the muscles strengthen.

conforme os músculos se van fortalecendo.

These curves help us stay upright and absorb some of the stress

Estas curvas axúdannos a estar ergueitos e absorber parte da tensión provocada

from activities like walking and jumping.

por actividades como camiñar ou saltar.

If they are aligned properly,

De estar adecuadamente aliñadas,

when you're standing up,

estando de pé,

you should be able to draw a straight line

deberías poder trazar unha liña recta

from a point just in front of your shoulders,

dende a parte dianteira dos ombreiros

to behind your hip,

pasando por tras dos cadrís,

to the front of your knee,

por diante dos xeonllos,

to a few inches in front of your ankle.

até uns centímetros diante dos nocellos.

This keeps your center of gravity directly over your base of support,

Isto mantén o teu centro de gravidade directamente na túa base de apoio,

which allows you to move efficiently

o que che permite moverte eficientemente

with the least amount of fatigue and muscle strain.

con menos fatiga e desgaste muscular.

En estando sentado, o pescozo debería estar vertical,

If you're sitting, your neck should be vertical,

not tilted forward.

e non inclinado cara a adiante.

Your shoulders should be relaxed with your arms close to your trunk.

Os ombreiros deberían estar relaxados, cos brazos preto do tronco.

Your knees should be at a right angle with your feet flat on the floor.

Os xeonllos, en ángulo recto con respecto aos pés pousados no chan.

But what if your posture isn't that great?

Pero, é se a túa postura non é ideal?

Try redesigning your environment.

Proba a redeseñar o teu contorno.

Adjust your screen so it's at or slightly below eyelevel.

Axusta a pantalla para que estea un pouquiño por debaixo dos ollos.

Make sure all parts of your body,

Ten todas as partes do corpo,

like your elbows and wrists, are supported,

coma os cóbados e os pulsos, apoiados,

using ergonomic aids if you need to.

usando aparellos ergonómicos, se che cómpren.

Try sleeping on your side with your neck supported

Proba a durmir de lado co pescozo apoiado

e cunha almofada entre as pernas.

and with a pillow between your legs.

Wear shoes with low heels and good arch support,

Usa calzado de tacón baixo e con bo apoio para a ponte

and use a headset for phone calls.

e usa auriculares para as chamadas telefónicas.

It's also not enough to just have good posture.

Non é suficiente con ter unha boa postura.

Keeping your muscles and joints moving is extremely important.

Manter músculos e articulacións en movemento é moi importante.

In fact, being stationary for long periods with good posture

De feito, estar quedo en períodos longos, aínda con boa postura

can be worse than regular movement with bad posture.

pode ser peor que o movemento regular con mala postura.

When you do move, move smartly.

Cando te movas, faino intelixentemente.

Keep anything you're carrying close to your body.

Se colles peso, manteno preto do corpo.

Backpacks should be in contact with your back carried symetrically.

As mochilas deben estar cargadas simetricamente e pegadas ás costas.

If you sit a lot, get up and move around on occassion,

Se pasas moito tempo sentado, érguete de cando en vez e móvete.

and be sure to exercise.

Fai exercicio.

Using your muscles will keep them strong enough to support you effectively,

Usar os músculos manteraos fortes e así poderán soportarte eficientemente,

on top of all the other benefits to your joints, bones, brain and heart.

ademais de todos os outros beneficios

para as articulacións, os ósos, o cerebro e o corazón.

And if you're really worried, check with a physical therapist,

Pero se estás preocupado de verdade, consulta un fisioterapeuta,

because yes, you really should stand up straight.

porque si: Débese camiñar ergueito.