Start Thinking About Your Posture Or You Could Be In A World Of Pain

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A new survey finds many of us are not concerned about poor posture, even though it can have a big impact on the body.

Sitting at our desks, staring at our devices or just walking around, posture is a big part of our day.

Dr. Mark Gugliotti is an associate professor of physical therapy at the New York Institute of Technology. He said poor posture can lead to different types of pain.

"The neck, the head, the shoulders, the elbow, hips, low back, knees, feet and ankle, the whole body is subject to any sort of postural dysfunctions," he said.

Dr. Gugliotti and his student showed CBS News Correspondent Katherine Johnson the right way to sit at a desk.

To start, feet should be flat on the floor.

Dr. Gugliotti said you should "lower the chair to position that helps accentuate a 90 angle between the trunk and hip as well as a 90 degree angle between the upper and lower leg."

Shoulders and elbows should also be at 90 degrees.  Your computer screen should be an arm's length away and positioned so your eyes are looking at the top third of the screen without moving your neck up or down.

Looking down at our phones and devices creates another posture problem that can impact the back and neck.

"Having your phone more towards the front of your face would be the best scenario," Dr. Gugliotti said.

And don't forget about your posture when you are walking . Keep your back straight not slumped, and try to pull your belly button in towards the spine.

If left untreated, poor posture can lead to nerve compression in the back of the neck, which can lead to headaches.

Poor posture can also impact the lungs of patients with asthma, COPD and emphysema.