Does posture determine health, or does health determine posture?

Your posture may reveal a lot about your physical condition. Muscle imbalances, areas of tension, and weaknesses will all manifest in subtle ways on your body. Below, we reveal some of the most common body secrets that you may not know.

Clue: Slouching

What it reveals: Tight hamstrings

When you sit, slouching means your hamstrings (the muscles in the back of your thighs) are tight. "The hamstrings connect to your pelvic muscles, and if they're tight, it can cause your sit bones to tilt forward, which can cause your spine to curve when you sit down." Stretching your hamstrings can help you sit up more easily.

Clue: Heavy-looking hips

What it reveals: Weak feet

It may sound unrelated, but buttocks that protrude outward are a clear sign of excess fat, which can indicate weak feet. When your arches are weak, not only will your feet lose power, but your hips will also sag. The tops of your thighbones will move outward and forward, and your pelvis will drop and move forward. This will make your buttocks look extra heavy and weaken your outer glute muscles.

Clue: A protruding belly

What it reveals: Tight lats

If your lats are tight, they will compress your torso and flex your spine. "This will pull all your internal organs forward, making it look like you have a belly. Simply stretching your lats can tone your torso and make you look thinner."

Clue: Protruding belly

What it reveals: Weak core muscles and excessive back arching

If you're dieting and have stretched your lats, but still have a protruding belly, your core muscles and back may be weak, causing your belly to protrude.

Clue: Sagging hips

What it reveals: Weak back muscles

If your butt is flat or concave, it may be due to weak core muscles, especially the deep back muscles called the multifidus. These deep core muscles help stabilize your spine and allow you to naturally bend slightly forward.

Clue: One foot turned outward

What it reveals: Tight hips

If you stand up straight but one foot turns outward, it may be because your hips are too tight. Hip lifts strengthen the inner and outer thigh muscles (adductors and abductors).

Clue: One shoulder is higher than the other

What it reveals: Muscle imbalance

If you use the same shoulder every day to carry a backpack or a laptop or other heavy object, one shoulder will become higher than the other. It can be treated through massage or movements such as shrugs, but be aware that the side with more tense muscles requires more stretching time.

Clue: Rounded shoulders

What it reveals: Weak chest, overextended back

Sitting at a desk all day can give you rounded shoulders and a thin chest. Doing wall stretches can help strengthen your pectoral muscles.

Clue: Forward Head

What it reveals: Tight and weak neck muscles

Too many pillows or an incorrect sleeping posture can cause your head to tilt forward. “This often indicates tight skull base and neck muscles and weak deep neck flexors.”

Clue: One hip droops when standing

What it reveals: Gluteus medius weakness

If one hip drops lower than the other when you stand, this may indicate weakness in the gluteus medius. The gluteus medius is a key muscle used to control the hip and knee joints. The higher the hip, the weaker the gluteus medius.