Unexplainable Is good posture actually good?
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Jul 17, 2024 Beth Linker, author of 'Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America', explores the historical perspectives on good posture and health. She challenges the common belief that good posture leads to good health, highlighting shifts in perceptions over time. The podcast delves into the evolution of ideas surrounding posture, the cultural influences on this concept, and the myth of good posture's correlation with back pain.
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Posture Science's Shaky Roots
- Modern beliefs about good posture emerged when science began focusing on posture in the late 19th century.
- Early scientific foundations for posture are shaky and culturally influenced, not purely evidence-based.
Posture Tied to Racism and Eugenics
- Early 20th-century posture concerns were tied to racist ideologies like eugenics.
- Scientists believed white Americans had poor posture due to civilization, contrasting with idealized indigenous postures.
Posture and Disease Myth
- Posture reformers linked bad posture to tuberculosis to enforce posture correction.
- They believed slouching weakened organs, increasing disease risk, although this is not supported by modern science.