Poor posture doesn’t have to be a permanent thing, but it can be hard to unpick; poor posture is, Mills explains, a “habit” our bodies are used to. But if you’re willing to put in a little bit of work, getting your body into a good place – and keeping it there – isn’t a massive challenge.

It’s worth noting that if you’re dealing with a lot of pain, or just want to get to the bottom of your issues, it’s important to pay a visit to a professional who will be able to advise.

There are also things you can do by yourself to kickstart a change. Below are just three steps Mills recommends taking if you want to start your posture journey.

1. Identify the major issues

The first step in achieving good posture is identifying the issues you’re facing. “If you’re not aware of it, you can’t change it,” Mills says. “You can go and get a massage or treatment and have tension released, but if you don’t do anything about the day-to-day afterwards, it’s just going to come straight back. So, you want to become aware of good posture, how yours measures up, and what you can do to change it.”

Some markers of good posture to keep an eye out for are a lengthening through the spine and having your ribcage floating up and away from the pelvis rather than leaning towards it.

Of course, the areas you need to focus on will depend on where your posture problems lie – some people will struggle with rounded shoulders (which will require you to work on opening your collarbone), while others might struggle with a pelvic tilt (which will require strengthening your glutes, among other things).

2. Mix up your workouts

One of the best ways to work on your posture is to strengthen the muscles in and around the areas you’re struggling with. However, just focusing on one area isn’t a smart idea, Mills says.

Ultimately, you want to be strengthening and mobilising the body to prevent further imbalances. “A form of exercise such as Pilates is good because it’s quite focused on posture, so it’s going to teach you how to correctly work the muscles that help to create good form,” she explains. “But you need to be mixing up your workouts as well as including something which teaches good posture, so you can make sure the body stays nice and balanced.”

That might mean mixing up the type of cardio you do – such as swimming, running, cycling or even walking for some light cardio – and pairing that with a variety of targeted strength training sessions with a few Pilates workouts on the side.

The types of muscles you want to focus on will depend on the problems you’re having, but building strength in your back and core will have the most impact.

3. Prioritise regular movement

Because poor posture can be caused by staying in the same position for too long – and therefore strengthening and weakening the muscles in and around the area – moving regularly throughout the working day is key to reducing your risk.

“If you have a job that means you sit down for long periods of time, make sure to get up and move regularly,” Mills recommends. “It’s sustained posture that often leads to poor form in the long run, so factoring that into your day and not sitting down for long periods by taking breaks, using a standing desk or just going for a walk will all make a difference.”

She continues: “At the end of the day, the longer you sit in a sustained posture, the more likely the muscles are going to change and adapt to that position.”

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