Nutrition is the cornerstone of metabolism, and good eating means good bones, good muscles and good connective tissues. But what if your posture could affect your ability to absorb and digest food?

The way a person stands and moves can have an impact on the stomach and intestine and diaphragm. By optimising posture, effects can be seen on the stomach, intestine and diaphragm (while standing or sitting) and therefore digestion can actually be improved.

​A number of scientific studies speak of the effects of posture on digestion.

Firstly, a group of scientists speak about the effect of posture on digestion. Volloria et al. discovered that patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) that complained of bloating and gas had unusually relaxed oblique abdominal muscles, possibly caused by unusual diaphragm contractions. This study indicates that the positioning of the body during a meal can affect the parts of the body that aid in digestion. If the position of the body is not optimal, it can produce negative effects.

In another study, researchers compared lying down to sitting up after a meal . They found that the women who lay down digested their food more slowly and had much less malabsorption. Meanwhile, the women who sat up had significantly more malabsorption.

Another study by the same group found a similar result for milk sugar (lactose): lying down improved digestion of lactose and reduced malabsorption compared to sitting up.

​Of course we can't only posture. Poor nutritional habits are doing more than their fair share of harm today, but even what little proteins, good fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are in the worst of food have even less chances of being absorbed properly if the person doesn’t have a good posture.

So as you can see, it’s not just a matter of what you eat, but what you absorb, and a body that’s been aligned and fine-tuned with better posture can be an integral part of a good metabolism.

An article published by Harvard Medical School in 2021 states "While back and neck conditions top the list of potential posture woes, there are many others — such as poor balance, headaches, and breathing difficulties. Researchers are also looking into whether posture affects mood, sleep, fatigue, and jaw alignment."

​Three other problems linked to poor posture may surprise you.

1. Incontinence. Poor posture promotes stress incontinence — when you leak a little urine if you laugh or cough. "Slouching increases abdominal pressure, which puts pressure on the bladder. The position also decreases the ability of the pelvic floor muscles to hold against that pressure," notes physical therapist Meghan Markowski, who specializes in helping people overcome bladder, bowel, and pelvic floor problems.

2. Constipation. Poor posture on a toilet — hunched over with your knees lower than your hips — can promote constipation. "That position closes the anus somewhat and makes it harder for the abdominal muscles to help move feces out," Markowski says. Constipation is characterized by fewer than three bowel movements per week; hard, dry stools; straining to move the bowels; and a sense of an incomplete evacuation.
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3. Heartburn and slowed digestion. Slouched posture after a meal can trigger heartburn caused by acid reflux (when stomach acid squirts back up into the esophagus). "Slouching puts pressure on the abdomen, which can force stomach acid in the wrong direction," explains Dr. Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "And some evidence suggests that transit in the intestines slows down when you slouch. In my opinion, it probably does play a small role."

What you can do...

We recommend seeing a physiotherapist or posture specialist if you suspect you have poor posture that is causing problems for you. The therapist will customize a program of exercises and stretches to improve your muscle strength and flexibility. The core muscles in particular (in the abdomen, pelvic floor, and back) support the spine.

The goal is a neutral, upright spine position — not flexed too far forward or backward.

A neutral spine is also important when it's time to move your bowels. "Keep your back straight and lean forward at the hips. Keeping your knees higher than your hips — by placing your feet on a footstool — mimics a squatting position, which is best for helping to open the anus so you can pass feces without straining," Markowski says.

To reduce the risk of stress incontinence leakage, Markowski recommends strengthening the pelvic floor muscles as well. "We teach people how to control their pelvic muscles when they cough," she says. "The proper neutral spine alignment will also help minimize abdominal pressure."