Nepal, Sept. 11 -- For decades, we have been told that good posture means keeping the spine straight, the shoulders back, and the head held high. This 'perfect posture' is believed to put less strain on the body, while any posture that deviates from it is considered bad and likely to cause pain.

But a recent study published in the National Library of Medicine tells us that there is no such thing as good or bad posture.

The idea of 'perfect posture' has a long history. While upright posture had long been associated with ideals of bearing and discipline, it became particularly tied to military drill and discipline in the 19th century. At the same time, Western societies increasingly came to associate an upright body with health, self-cont...