Good Posture Relieves Pain, Makes You Stronger

Poor posture not only makes a bad impression, it can make you physically weaker.

This was the conclusion of a recent study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, which found that by adopting a more dominant pose, people feel more powerful, in control, and able to tolerate more pain.  Authors of the study explained that curling up into a ball can make pain more intense because is makes you feel as if you have no control over your circumstances.  Instead, do the opposite – stand up straight and push your chest out.  This can help create a sense of control that in turn can make your pain more tolerable.  Based on previous research, adopting good posture, rather than constricting your body, may also lead to elevated testosterone, which is associated with increased pain tolerance.