But he would have been far more justified denouncing her slumped gait.

It would take a lot more than bad posture to detract from the attractions of Scarlett of course, but you sometimes want to give the girl a shake and make her stand up properly.

Few of us, however, can claim to have wonderful posture. What position are you in as you read this? Curled up on the couch? Hunched over the table? Whatever it is, it's probably the position you feel most comfortable in but not the one that's necessarily best for you.

That we should 'sit up straight' is ingrained from an early age (no doubt why the pandemic teenage slump is a most effective form of rebellion). Like drinking two litres of water a day and taking the stairs instead of the lift, most of us are aware that standing and sitting correctly are important. However, that doesn't mean it's easy to remember, particularly when we've become accustomed to holding ourselves a particular way. Apart from looking inelegant, however, a bad posture is linked to a huge amount of health problems, including arthritis, eye strain, digestive disorders and menstrual pain to more obvious ones such as neck, joint and respiratory problems. What we might call slouching is known in the medical profession as Postural Distortion Syndrome.

Paul Harrington, a physiotherapist at the Monart resort in Co Wexford, says that most people are unaware of any musculo-skeletal dysfunction until it's pointed out. Monart's postural assessment programme highlights any problems. "We look at clients from the front and side, " Harrington explains.

"When they turn sideways, their ideal line should come down through their ear, down through their shoulder and hip bone, right down to their ankle bone. They should be able to drop a straight line down through that."

Lifestyle is an important factor in determining posture. How you sit at a computer, nuzzling the phone between your head and shoulders and, the favourite of schoolkids, hoisting your backpack over one shoulder are among some of the everyday practices that affect your back and shoulders. The good news is that correcting your posture is entirely achievable; it just requires a conscious effort and practising until it becomes a habit. Take onboard these pointers and you'll find yourself standing straighter, breathing easier and having more energy within weeks.

PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT Settle on how you sit "Your weight should be over your pelvic bone, " says Harrington.

"When you sit, keep a slight curve in your lower back, leaning slightly forward from your hips so that your feet are firmly planted on the ground, the shoulders back and relaxed." If you must cross your legs do so below the knees and don't let your pelvis tilt.

Tuck that tummy Place your fingers about your hipbones and cough. These are the core muscles you're trying to work and by doing so you'll improve your posture and flatten your tum. Pull up the pelvic floor and draw the lower tummy back, holding for five seconds, while remembering to breathe freely.

This is an exercise you should do regularly throughout the day.

Sleep tight . . . and right If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees to keep your back in a neutral position. If you sleep on your back, use one beneath your knees. How you get out of bed is all important too. Roll to one side, bend both knees, drop your feet over the side and push up with your hands. Elderly people do it as it puts the least pressure on your back.

Stop crossing your arms It feels natural but it closes the front of the body, pulling your chest down and weakening your back. The weight of your arms will also cause you to slump, which is bad for breathing and digestion.

Check yourself out Good posture doesn't mean tensing your back and tossing your head back as far as it can go. To achieve proper alignment, your ears should be loosely above your shoulders and hips, making a straight line with the spine still curving slightly in its natural 'S' shape. Your weight should be evenly distributed between both feet, the ankles relaxed, the knees straight but not strained and the pelvis centred.

Keep the chest open and shoulders back. Congratulations. Your posture is now faultless.

Be vain When you find yourself sliding back into your old ways, remember that correct posture makes you look both taller and 10 pounds (or at least five. . . ) pounds slimmer. Note to Scarlett: this might have been useful to know when you broke the zipper on your dress at the Golden Globes earlier this year.