Previously, we brushed on how prolonged sitting is directly related to compromised spinal health.
In this article, we’ll talk about how we should sit to minimise side effects.
1. The idea of healthy sitting is to position the spine as close to its neutral position with the least muscular strain.
It starts with how we approach the chair. Aim to sit as far back into the chair as possible with a forward pelvic tilt. Think of it as pointing your imaginary tail up and back instead of tucking it under you.
You would know that you’re doing it right if u notice that more weight is distributed on the hamstrings rather than just the buttocks. It would also take a lot less effort to stay upright once your foundation is set right.
2. Screen positioning. Hold a paper in front of you with text format Arial 12.5 and gradually move it closer until you can read comfortably. This should be the distance your monitor is set from you.
If you have an adjustable desk (which is great for alternating between sitting and standing while at work), set it so that the middle of the screen is lined up to eye level. Otherwise, adjust the chair height or monitor elevation accordingly.
Setting up the workstation by following these simple rules should be practised more often. Nonetheless, this should not discount the priority of moving around and changing positions frequently instead being in a fixed posture for too long.
It is important to note that there are rough guidelines for posture depending on activity and context but “perfect posture” doesn’t really exist.
Remember, we were made for movement and “the best posture is your next.”
