Sit up straight and listen...

Poor posture can cause pain, lead to falls and damage your health but there are ways to keep spines strong as we age

- 

As we grow older, our posture changes, which can lead to slouching and discomfort. But experts say that with some simple adjustments and stretching exercises, it’s possible to counteract these effects and feel stronger — at any stage of life.

What influences our posture?

Our posture changes according to how we use our bodies every day, says Michael Fatica, lead osteopath and co-founder of the Back in Shape programme.

"This is a habitual thing - the way in which we sit, stand and move in our daily lives," says Michael. "But it can also be affected by things like muscle strength and muscle tone which have been developed as a result of good exercise throughout life.