Good Sitting Posture - Five Tips To Sit Pain-Free For Hours

« « Back Posture & Chair Sitting Habits To Relieve Your Back Of Pain | Exercises for Back: Getting Your Posture In Shape » »

Good Sitting Posture - Five Tips To Sit Pain-Free For Hours

Saturday, September 12th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

While a great deal of attention seems to be paid to our postures while standing, our posture at rest is often much more important, especially as this is often how much more of our time is spent. Yet because it is less demanding, our resting posture receives much less of our thought and effort.

The spine is comprised of two natural arches, an outer curve in the upper back and an inward arch further down. If either curve is not correct, and is not enforced via correct resting posture, then numerous mysterious pains can develop. Also, since this natural support is crucial to efficient bodily function, we will fatigue more easily if it is compromised.

There are several key but simple principles to good sitting posture which must be mastered. Each principle builds upon the others, and disregarding any one will hinder your efforts of attaining the most efficient posture.

First, keep the head up-right, without unnecessarily tensing the neck. Most people unconsciously tilt the neck downward, especially when sitting at desks and working on computers. Hunching forward places all the muscles of the back under more strain, causing them to fatigue more quickly than they otherwise would were your posture more efficient.

It is also important to keep the shoulders relaxed and lowered away from the ears. With the shoulders lowered, the spine should be as vertically aligned as possible. Much of your body’s support is derived from this vertical alignment. Deviating in any direction places extra strain on the muscles of the back and spine.

The pelvis should also tilt forward, thus placing no undue pressure on the tail bone. Despite the fact that much of our time is spent seated, the tail bone is not truly intended to support weight. Shifting your pelvis forward distributes weight across the hip bones and legs, which are far better at carrying heavy loads. Be sure to take frequent breaks, thus giving these muscles time to recover and increasing their circulation. Increased circulation helps rid the muscles of fatigue toxins which cause them to tire more quickly.

If at all possible, sit with the seat of your chair tilted so that the front part is slightly lower than the back. Sitting this way will help to keep the proper curves in your back and your spine aligned correctly.

The lower abdomen should be drawn in slightly, further supporting the lower spine. This distributes weight more evenly such that all muscles bear the burden of maintaining an efficient posture, thus avoiding straining any unnecessarily.

If you are unable to sit comfortably while keeping the correct posture as described above, begin to do exercises that target these weaker areas, strengthening them and allowing you to sit properly without putting undo strain on the spine and various muscle groups. You might consider investing in an exercise program that specifically

Anyone can improve posture. The next time you sit, pay particular attention to your habits. Notice areas in which you excel, and others that may need work. Also, examine areas where you commonly relax, ensuring that they are conducive to good and healthy posture. By being more aware of these formerly unconscious patterns, you’ll slowly but surely begin to notice improvement and feel much better.

Share and Enjoy: