“Sit up straight,” “elbows off the table,” “don’t slouch!” – commands that echo in the ears of adults across the globe thanks to strict reinforcement from parents at a young age.
Like all demands from parents who only want the best for their kids, they often fall on deaf ears. As such, our postures have suffered the consequences of stubbornness in our adult lives, as we mimic the same complaints of back and neck pain that we warned about. Ah, the circle of life.
The increased digitalisation of society doesn’t help either. Whether working from home or in the office, the vast majority of modern jobs have us sitting at desks for a solid eight hours a day at least. The potential for slouching, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, becomes inevitable. The resulting rise in standing desks and ergonomic chairs has certainly helped, but these objects don’t necessarily offer a cure-all.
We spoke to Consultant Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Florence Penny, founder of Kensington-based Flow Physio London, about posture and the popularity of posture trainers, and whether they can make a difference below.
Best posture correctors at a glance
Best posture training devices at a glance
Best ergonomic chairs and lumbar support devices at a glance
How does posture influence and affect our overall health?
“Posture can affect the overall health of our entire musculoskeletal system, which in turn can lead to painful musculoskeletal problems such as back and neck pain, as well as more distant joint pains in the knee or foot,” says Penny. Protecting and promoting good posture helps with ensuring proper alignment of the bones, muscles and joints. But, it’s important to note that “there’s no such thing as best posture,” as Penny puts it – our bodies are unique, and so-called ‘proper’ posture looks a little different for everyone.
What are the risks associated with having poor posture?
One particular risk associated with poor posture, which often flies under the radar, is blood circulation. “If we’re not sitting with our correct posture, it’s going to affect our lung and ribcage expansion,” Penny warns. This is important because proper oxygen intake is essential to maintaining healthy circulation, or else you risk side effects such as swelling in the lower extremities, and further muscle and joint pains.
“That’s why, from a physiotherapist perspective, improving posture isn’t just about sitting up straight,” explains Penny, “It’s about getting up, moving, and making sure your blood is pumping.”
What are the benefits of posture trainers?
Posture trainers can be incredibly beneficial to the health of your overall musculoskeletal system. “I prefer posture trainers which are going to prompt someone to be mindful of their body and get moving,” Penny says, noting that “posture doesn’t get better by sitting straighter, it gets better by improving and strengthening the muscles behind it.”
Do you recommend posture trainers to patients?
“I would recommend prompt-based posture trainers to my patients, but I’d also recommend that patients also engage in around 20 minutes of mobility and strength-based work each day,” says Penny. This is because, as mentioned earlier, maintaining great posture is all about strengthening the muscles in your back. As such, you can use your posture trainer as a reminder to do some stretching or some short desk-based exercises.
Can you wear posture trainers all day?
Though you can technically wear a posture trainer throughout the day, they won’t help train your muscles to be stronger and more active. “Devices can be really helpful, but the main thing would be promoting a healthier lifestyle and an awareness of moving throughout the day,” says Penny. “I wouldn’t recommend back braces or devices which force your posture to be unnaturally straight or inhibitive to my patients,” she adds.
Alongside posture training devices, Penny also recommends investing in a decent ergonomic chair or supportive lumbar cushion, especially for those who find themselves sitting on dining room chairs when working from home.
Best posture correctors
The Posture Hero
Best for: overall performance
One of the leading back-health products around, the Posture Hero posture brace comes in a range of sizes to fit a variety of body shapes.
Designed by Harley Street’s London Spine Clinic, it’s fashioned from hypoallergenic straps and a lightweight 154g main panel covered in high-tension webbing. The idea is that it sits flat against your spine for support, while the thick elastic straps draw your shoulders into the correct angle.
The super-strength velcro fastening crosses tight over the front, making everything feel very secure without restricting movement.
Having the Posture Hero strapped to your back is a constant - but not unpleasant - reminder to sit up straight. In fact, it actually feels uncomfortable if you slump, again promoting an upright sitting position.
The company says that you can wear this under clothing, but against bare skin, the straps can rub around the front of the shoulders and neck. At first, it feels a bit awkward to be pulled sitting in a new position, but that’s to be expected as I gently coax my spine out of a lifetime of slouching.
The only reason I wouldn’t wear it visibly in the office is because of how it looks. It’s not going to win any beauty contests, but aesthetics is not why I’m wearing it - and on balance, I would rather wear this for a few hours every day now than be mistaken for the hunchback of Notre Dame’s long-lost sister in the future.
- Abha Shah
Buy now £37.99, Amazon
Clever Yellow Back Support Belt
Best for: those recovering from an injury
With more than 11,000 reviews on Amazon, this is one of the best sports back belts on the site to address lower back pain.
Available in four sizes it offers amazing lumbar support - ideal for anyone recovering from an injury, those who experience lower back pain and people who suffer from sciatica, herniated discs, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, hip pain, post-surgery and more. There’s a strong grip around the band and it shrinks and expands too, so no need to worry if you fluctuate in weight.
Buy now £24.99, Amazon
gr8ful Posture Corrector
Best for: wearing beneath clothes
A brace to help you counteract the bad back habits formed by modern life, this spinal brace is made from neoprene, which makes it strong yet breathable. It’s slim enough to slip on under your clothes, or you can wear it on top of your outfit like an exoskeleton. There’s no front fastening on this design; simply slide your arms into the loops to push your shoulders back into the right position.
Buy now £17.99, Amazon
Best posture training devices
Upright GO 2 NEW Posture Trainer and Corrector for Back
Best for: building up good posture habits over time
One of the most popular prompt-based posture trainers on the market, the Upright GO works to stimulate and strengthen the muscles of your lower back and core to promote better circulation and overall well-being. Subtle vibrational pulses are emitted when the device’s sensor picks up muscle contractions and stiffness, which usually occurs when you’re slouching, prompting you to adjust your posture accordingly and engage in short strengthening exercises.
The Upright GO 2 NEW Posture Trainer and Corrector for Back functions with the help of a companion app which allows you to track your progress throughout the day and turn off the vibration alerts if need be. It’s a fantastic means to develop a daily practice of posture and movement awareness throughout your workday and comes highly rated by users across the globe.
Battery life lasts up to 30 hours, and the set comes with replacement adhesive patches for when your initial one loses its stickiness.
Buy now £104.00, Amazon
Beurer Posture Control Device, PC100
Best for: a discrete clip-on device
This posture control device from Beurer doesn’t stick to your body, but rather clips to your collar. Described by the brand as “your very own posture coach”, this Bluetooth-operated gadget provides subtle vibrational alerts for when you’ve been sitting for a prolonged period of time, or when it senses that your posture is failing.
Alongside the smart companion app, the device will create your very own ‘posture score’, which is calculated based on the hours you spend static sitting or dynamic sitting, as well as the number of steps you take in a day.
This device goes the extra mile by learning about your sitting habits in order to create customised recommendations for strengthening exercises and movements to improve your posture and back pain in the long term.
Buy now £30.00, Holland & Barrett
Activ5 Portable Strength Training Device
Best for: building-up core strength
If you’re keen to focus on strength-building and movement to improve your overall posture, we recommend scooping up this palm-sized portable strength training device from Activ5. The device itself connects to your smartphone via a companion app to guide you through low-impact isometric workouts. But what exactly are isometric workouts, and how will they help to improve your posture, we hear you ask?
Isometric exercises involve simple contractions of the muscles to tone and strengthen, which puts less pressure on your joints. By building up strength in your core and lower back, you’ll see a natural effortless improvement in posture over the space of a few short months.
Buy now £140.00, Amazon
Therabody PowerDot 2.0 Uno
Best for: pain relief and training in one neat package
Though technically marketed as a pain reliever, the PowerDot 2.0 Uno produces neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to stimulate motor nerves in order to force muscle contraction.
While this works to temporarily relieve pain in areas such as the neck, back and tummy and promote recovery after tough workouts, it can also aid with general stimulation of the muscles and nerves which control posture. This, in turn, may help to improve your posture in the long term by promoting dynamic sitting.
Buy now £175.00, John Lewis
Swedish Posture Vibe Digital Posture Sensor
Best for: pocket-sized training
Perhaps the smallest prompt-based device we’ve come across, the Vibe by Swedish Posture functions exactly like the other models we’ve listed thus far. An integrated digital sensor vibrates when your posture is lacking, while a magnet closure keeps it in place on your clothing.
Fear not, for this posture trainer doesn’t vibrate every time it senses even the remotest of slouches. Rather, it will only notify you when you’ve held a poor posture for longer than five seconds - thereby prompting you to return to a better, more supportive dynamic sitting position.
Buy now £57.54, Backjoy
Best ergonomic chairs and lumbar support devices
Varier Variable Balans Kneeling Chair
Best for: active sitting
Active sitting can help safeguard your back health by keeping your core engaged. One of the best styles for this is a kneeling chair, which not only will encourage your spine into a naturally straight position but can help improve productivity levels too, making it a WFH must-have. Back in Action has them in myriad colours and different styles depending on your preference.
Buy now £299.00, Amazon
Hbada Office Chair Desk Chair Flip-up Armrest Ergonomic Task Chair
Best for: lower-back support and easy stowage
A poor seating situation spells trouble for productively working at home. Either you’re constantly fidgeting to get comfortable, or you’re bending your body into painful, unnatural positions around your chair.
Not so with this design. The mid-back chair features an ergonomic backrest that fits in the lower back to keep it supported and help prevent pain. Meanwhile, the mesh back allows airflow to your back, while giving it strong support. The best part is, if your working-from-home set-up is in your living room, bedroom or alcove, you can bend the backrest forward and tuck in the armrest before sliding it under your desk.
Buy now £110.49, Amazon
Posturite Back Support Cushion
Best for: extra cushioned support
Whether you find yourself WFH on an uncomfortable dining room chair or are simply looking for a supportive cushion to help you along your positive posture journey, this lumbar support cushion from Posturite provides ergonomic support in a soft, plush and padded velour material. The long-lasting cover is washable and also comes with a strap to ensure the pillow stays in place at all times.
Buy now £46.74, Posturite
