Skip to main content

How to Maintain Proper Posture while Sitting


When it comes to general health, posture is considered to be at the bottom list.

Why? Because of this mindset that your young body can cope up with anything. And poor posture is the most overlooked bad habit because aside from the fact that you feel good, you’re not fully aware that you’re causing harm to your body, the kind of harm that it usually does to your body is something that has to be built-up over time.

But it’s high time that you break that mindset and start observing proper posture.

Proper posture is as important as eating a balanced diet, doing adequate exercise, getting a good night's sleep, and avoiding potentially harmful substances like alcohol, drugs and nicotine.

Good posture helps you perform your daily tasks with more energy, less stress and fatigue. Plus, it deters the development of any health complication brought about by uneven distribution of pressure, especially on your spine.

But what if your job involves prolonged sitting? What should you do to maintain proper posture?


Take Note of the Normal Spinal Curve

 

Your spine has a natural S-curve. It wasn’t meant to be rigid. This structure is intended to work like a coiled spring to maintain balance, to absorb shock, and to facilitate the full range of motion.

So if you’re at work sitting on your executive office chair, your buttocks should touch the back of your chair. From there, your upper back will lean naturally against the back of your chair.

The tendency to slouch would usually start if your buttocks are resting on the middle or on the edge of your seat. You feel relaxed in this position because you’re using less muscles to support your upper back.

 

Adjust your Chair


Your chair should be adjusted according to the height of your desk, whether you are using a regular task chair or an office chair for posture. No matter how functional your chair is in as much as posture correction is concerned, it will not serve its purpose if you do not know how to sit properly.

Also, remember to keep your feet flat on the floor. When you’re sitting on a chair that rolls and pivots, don't twist at the waist. Instead, turn your whole body. This will avoid straining your middle back.

Correct office ergonomics also helps in keeping a good posture and makes working easier, considering everything is within your reach and are arranged accordingly.

 

Take Regular Breaks


Holding a static sitting position for longer periods increases pressure on your back and pelvis. Distribute the stress to the rest of your body by stretching or walking around.

It also facilitates proper circulation. If your muscles receive the ample amount of blood supply, you wouldn’t feel fatigued and your energy levels would be sustained throughout the day.

These are only some of the ways to maintain proper posture during prolonged sitting. Observing good posture may be straining at the beginning, especially if your body has already developed the bad habit of relaxed poor gait.

Whether you choose to start with an office chair for back problems or immediately enroll in a fitness or posture program, you will surely see the positive changes, only if you’re committed to that proper posture lifestyle.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Here’s Why Slouching Is Bad for Your Career

Don’t slouch. Sit up straight! Your friends, your high school teacher, and your mom has said it over and over again. But who cares if you slump in your comfortable office chair, right? You’re tired, and you have to worry about typing reports and preparing for meetings. With the load of work you have in your professional life, who cares about posture?   Apparently, your bosses, clients, and colleagues might. Turns out, how you sit and stand communicates something to other people. A thought-provoking TED talk by Amy Cuddy stresses the importance of body language in the business world, saying that it reflects power. Wits aren’t enough. Posture matters in becoming a leader. How Leaders Sit and Stand People who feel powerful usually take an open stance. They sit straight with their chest out, or lean forward to the person they’re talking to occupy a larger space. Their legs are also open, facing outside. People who feel powerless, on the other hand, close themselves u...

The Effectof Having Bad Posture to Your Mind and Body

If you are unaware, or do not make an effort to keep a proper posture, it could lead to some serious physical problems. In fact, if you do not pay attention to the way you sit and stand, it could lead to a severe lower back problem. You might not notice it, but bad posture is a precursor to a lot of physical and mental problems. Those who pay attention to their posture are able to keep themselves from experiencing pain related to back problems. If you have a chair for back pain, that chair can help you relax while guiding your back to assume the proper position. That chair can handle your back pain issues as well as your posture. A bad posture’s effect may not be noticeable at first, but because its effects start from the inside-out, you may have already developed issues that you didn’t know you’d get. It is important to know the negative effects bad posture can give both to your mind and body so you can help prevent ailments in the long run. The Bad Posture Effect • ...

The Posture of Womanhood

Before you become a bona fide wife and mother, you are first an askhole. Okay, that doesn’t sound quite nice but holler to all the ladies out there who used to ask a lot of help and pieces of advice about relationships, pregnancies and parenthood but don’t actually listen and end up doing the opposite anyway. Did that strike something sensitive somewhere, A.K.A. guilt, A.K.A. “ugh”? Worry not, though, because being an askhole specially if you’re a woman who is going to take on another role i.e. wifery or “mommary” is normal. You see, the greatest teacher is not anybody else’s experience – it’s your own. So, try at your own risk and learn from it. But what we’ll be discussing in this article is not something new to you.You have been reminded about this ever since you learned how to sit and walk. No, it’s not saying “thank you” after every “please”. It’s about maintaining a good posture. Ah yes, eye rolls as expected. Again, this is about posture and how it can be of great impact ...