Get the latest tech news

The Bad Politics of Bad Posture

There’s little evidence slouching is unhealthy. So why do Americans believe so firmly in sitting up straight?

Early twentieth-century orthopedist Joel E. Goldthwait claimed that poor posture could lead “to tuberculosis, nervous disease, acute mental disorder, as well as hyper-glandular disturbances … and many intestinal disorders.” A common conception today that hunching relates to lower back pain is similarly contentious, and has been all but discredited by recent studies. Chan School of Public Health notes in an overview of the weight-loss regimen, “Paleo proponents state that our genetics and anatomy have changed very little since the Stone Age, [so] we should eat foods available during that time to promote good health.” The article mentions an important and bizarrely overlooked point: “The life expectancy of our predecessors was only a fraction of that of people today.” Storied Boston department store Filene’s urged children to come in twice a year for check-ups on their foot growth, while the salespeople at the aforementioned Buster Brown were advertised as “scientifically trained”—in addition to checking the fit of the shoes on child clients, they gave each kid a posture exam.

Get the Android app