
History of Posture
Dangerous Curves Ahead
Over the course of 100 years, see how our spines have transitioned from regal and pain-free to ragged and painful.


1900s (and earlier)
Tall Without Even Trying
Long, regal spines. Narrow backs. Chests and chins down.


1920s
Here Comes Change
Corsets and long dresses are out. Loose, shorter dresses are in (thanks, flappers!). Hips and pelvises move forward. Painful posture begins.


1940s
Strike a Pose
Hips continue to move forward. Higher heels bring on the hurt. People start “posing” when standing and sitting causing curving and dissymmetry in the spine.


1950s
A Chesty Decade
Chests begin to jut out—think pin-up girls like Jane Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe. Spines are compressed and butts forced back, causing swaybacks. Higher heels…bigger problems.


1960s
Why, Waif? Why?
Mini skirts and the high-fashion waif look moves hips very far forward. Slumped shoulders and droopy arms are in vogue. Backs widen and lack tone and shape.


1970s & 80s
Clear and Painful Danger
The effects of a forward pelvis and muscling through posture create upper back/spine curves in a hump shape (kyphosis), while the head and neck jut out.


1990s
Bad Habits En Masse
Pain kicks into high gear. The tucked pelvis and curved “turtle neck” prevail courtesy of a seated, sedentary lifestyle. The ergonomics industry booms, yet pain increases.


2000s
Following by Example
Kids start tucking their tailbones while sitting on the floor and even in chairs (emulating the adults around them). More and more people report body pain. Healthy backs are rare, except in parts of the world not influenced by the painful postures commonly found in industrialized nations.


Now & Tomorrow
Find a Teacher
Don’t want to follow in the painful footsteps of the past? Find a teacher to help you break the pain cycle.
