Let’s face it, we’re ALL guilty at some point of my TOP 3 ‘POSTURE SINS’ of Sitting ?
We sit so much of the day… commuting to work, at our desk on a computer, in meetings and even on our breaks at the coffee shop!
Often the chair we’re sitting on isn’t so ergonomically friendly…
but often it’s just our bad habits that see us committing one or more of the most common ‘Posture Sins’ of sitting!
Sitting in a poor position puts lots of extra strain on our ligaments, muscles and joints.
This might seem insignificant at the time, but all the minutes and hours spent in these awkward postures eventually adds up.
The repetitive load can often result in stiffness and soreness, even injury and degeneration of those ligaments, muscles and joints.
Take a look at the list below and think about which ‘Posture Sin’ you catch yourself doing most often?
1) Perching on the edge of your seat
2) Crossing your legs
3) Slumping over your device
… and Yes there’s an ‘All of the Above’ option ?
So lets’s explore more about these self-destructive postures…
1) Perching on the Edge of your chair
This is such a common, but such a bad habit!
It puts your spine in a c-curve, with your tailbone tucked under… making it pretty much impossible to sit with good posture. This places additional strain on your back and neck!
So do yourself a favour and wiggle that butt back in your chair!
Wedge your ‘butt-bones’ as far back as possible so your low back is more supported in it’s nice ‘lumbar curve’. That lessens the strain on your back, hips and pelvis, and sets the rest of your spine up for better posture in sitting!
2) Crossing your legs when Sitting
I often get asked “What’s so bad about crossing your legs when sitting”?
… Well, your tailbone tucks under, so you can’t help but slouch into a ‘C-curve’ that puts strain on all areas of your back, your shoulders and your neck.
Plus, your leg circulation is often compromised and your hips are in a position that can lead to pain and injury.
Is that a good enough reason to uncross your legs?
It helps to wedge your butt right back in your chair and, if your feet don’t easily touch flat to the floor, place them on a footrest. This allows you to relax your hips in a better position (bent at about 90 degrees) so you’re less tempted to cross them again!
3) Lastly, Slumping over your device!
Are you guilty of that one?
I know I am … but I’m definitely becoming more mindful and improving at this!
The weight of your head puts ridiculous load on your neck when you’re looking down at your smartphone or tablet!
So try really hard to raise your phone/tablet etc as close as possible to eye level, rest back on a backrest when you can, and look up as often as you can!
Your challenge this week is to catch yourself out if you find yourself perched on the front of your chair, sitting cross legged or slumping over your device…
and make a posture change for the better!
If you’d like to get my Free Training on ‘Boosting your Health at your Desk in 2 minutes’ you can check it out HERE
Originally published at kymsiddonsphysio.com.au