I have really bad posture/slouching/head down or the time.

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Okay I have really bad posture, slouching, head down nearly all the time. People tell me " keep your head up." " sit up straight." "Why do you keep slouching?" They think I'm depressed,tired, low self esteem because of it. But what they don't understand is siting up straight feels so uncomfortable not because of any of those reasons. Like I have to actively keep thinking about sitting up straight to do it. Otherwise I go back to my natural slouching position. Some people have commented "How can you sit like that for so long?" but i wonder the exact same thing about them! How can they sit straight without getting tired like i do?

So I'm wondering is my bad posture like this have something to do with Aspergers?

Anyone else have bad posture like me?

I've had terrible posture for as long as I can remember. When I get really "in the zone" coding or making music, or whatever that fascinates me, the awareness of my body just seems to float away, and I have no idea what posture I'm in for hours at a time. It's not unusual for me to not notice until I get a bad cramp, or pins and needles because I've cut off my circulation.

I remember as well, many years ago as a child, I joined the Boys Brigade, and something about the way I held myself and moved really wound up the drill instructor, and the other Boys taunted me for it. I play drums and bass, so I know I could march "in time" - but there was something postural I was doing wrong that they never managed to describe to me (this was long before cell phones were common, so they couldn't use a video to show me).

I'm not sure that bad posture is an autistic thing particularly - but I think that not noticing a bad posture when you are doing it might be more common for autistic folks.

I'd encourage you to try and improve your posture if you can. I arrange my den so that I can use my PC standing up sometimes - I've found that really helps. Once you get to my age (45), years of bad posture can really take its toll - as I am now learning the hard way.

i have terrible posture too. i'm just not prone to think about my posture until someone comments on it or my back hurts from sitting on the floor after melting crayons for hours. learning sitting up straight takes some amount of mental dedication that i haven't been able to meet yet.

Yes, I do think bad posture, whether static (sitting, standing) or dynamic (walking, sport), is very common among the auties and aspies.

I used to sit in a slouched way with a very bend lower back and very bend neck. While talking to people standing up straight, I used to push my hips forward, probably to reach same eye-level (I'm tall). For me too, I never really noticed this until major discomfort arose or someone told me about my bad/strange posture. Now, I'm checking my posture all the time.

The worst posture problem I do is when I'm playing drums. After a while playing, it becomes like a being in a trance; I'm totally unaware that I'm using my body to hit things to make the music. This almost always ends when I smack myself straight between the eyes with a drumstick. Often I'm so slouched over that my nose is only a few inches away from the snare drum.

I'm not suggesting that anybody whack themselves in the face as a reminder to sit up straight of course - but it is certainly a very quick way of breaking the trance!

I used to slouch when sitting in all my childhood years - and had back pains, whereas I stood and walked with a traight posture. As an adult I too developed serious problems playing an instrument. "Static tension" is my middlename.

The australian "Alexander" system (developed by an actor, who lost his voice from tension) is extremely helpful. It is about balancing without exess tension during movement And in fixed positions.- and therefore loved by musicians.
Highly recommendable.

I slouch too. Sitting straight isn't relaxing unless I can lean against something. Any time I get into something or just relax, I slouch. I always have. In first grade another kid asked if I needed glasses. I realized I was sitting so bent over the books my nose was just about 3 inches from the book.
I also walk with my head down, because that's how I roll. I could say it's to avoid eyes etc, but it's simply what I do whenever I am myself and don't pay attention to anything in particular.

@Jensen
I had been considering Yoga, Pilates or similar (to be honest, I struggle a lot with the social part of gyms, and get very uncomfortable with shared changing facilities) - but not heard of the Alexander technique before. I notice from a quick Google that it is noted as useful for people with a sensory component to their physical problems. That sounds ideal as I know already that I have specific trouble integrating proprioception with my other senses. Thanks for the tip!

Yes, I have had bad posture all my life. I can't say it is related to my autism, I think you'd need a statistical analysis to show something like that.

Trogluddite, I won't discourage you from Alexander technique, but if you want to take a yoga or pilates class, you can certainly change at home. I go to yoga in the middle of my workday, and I just wear loose, knit clothing to work, class, and work again. I don't sweat appreciably during yoga - just a little bit - so I think this is acceptable. If I had to change, it would take too much time (I'm very slow).

You really should not make bad posture a habit.

The world view of a hunchback is pretty limited.

I have to stop slouching myself.