We all know that leading a healthy lifestyle is essential, but sometimes it's hard to stick to good habits.The past several years have witnessed a not uncommon phenomenon that many people spend the majority of their day sitting down, as they tend to sit when commuting, working in an office or studying, and relaxing at home.
Recently the phenomenon has aroused wide concern, some people are in alarm that their wrong sitting posture will adversely impact their back health. Good posture is important to us whether sitting or standing.
So, what does good posture mean? What are the benefits of a correct posture can bring to us? What exactly is the right sitting position?
Good posture means that the key parts of a person’s body are correctly aligned and supported by the right amount of muscle tension.
Correct posture can help by[1]:
- reducing strain on the body during movement and exercise
- reducing wear and tear on the joints, muscles, and ligaments
- maintaining balance while moving and exercising
- reducing the risk of muscle strain and overuse conditions
- improving spine health
The best sitting position depends on a person’s height, the chair they areusing, and the activity they are doing while sitting. How to find out the best sitting position and good posture for yourself? This is a diagram, which demonstrates how to achieve good posture when sitting at a desk.
This diagram demonstrates how to achieve good posture when sitting at a desk. It’s obvious that we should keep the monitor at arm’s length and no more than 2 inches above the natural line of sight. Customizing workspaces, for example adding footrests, wrist pads, or backrests is not a terrible idea for our comfort. We can not deny that a good ergonomic chair is helpful for this occasion. Getting up and moving around occasionally, especially when experiencing any muscle or joint pain. When having a long calls, we can using a headset or dictating to reduce neck strain. Don’t forget to get up and move around occasionally, especially when experiencing any muscle or joint pain.
Remember to avoid these sitting positions:
- keeping the knees, ankles, or arms crossed
- dangling or not properly supporting the feet
- spending a long time for straining the neck while looking at a monitor, telephone screen, or document
- sitting for an extended period without taking a break
Here are 10 tips for a healthy back[2], follow these simple guidelines to keep our back in good shape:
- Ergonomics: Customize your work station to your body and tasks; Change positions frequently; Move efficiently and control stress.
- Keep active: Exercise at least 30mins, 3 times a week; Take rest breaks every hours: recline in your chair for a moment or walk around for a few minutes. Change your position. If seated, stand up, if standing, walk around; Perform a different task every hour or so & use different muscles to relieve back.
- Sitting: Feet should touch the floor or be supported; Keep knees & hips level; Sit up to keep spine straight; Look straight without neck strain; Adjust your chair’s lumbar and armrests; Keep monitor at arms’ length; Position monitor & document holders even or slightly below line of sight.
- Mobile Devices: Sit up when texting or reading; Keep device at chest or eye level to decrease neck and back stress; Use a hands-free device instead of holder to your ear.
- Lifting: Estimate the weight to be lifted and ensure a clear path to move object; Keep a wide stance and bend from the legs (not from the waist); Keep the load as close as possible to your body avoid bending from your back; Do not twist, rather pivot from hips and feet for less back stress.
- Driving: Adjust the seat height and distance so knees are slightly bent and back supported by the seat back; Recline your seat slightly to decrease back strain if needed; Use lumbar support to support the natural curve in your low back (cushions or towels work too!); Raise back of seat so you’re sitting on a flat surface; Take frequent breaks in long drives: take a short walk and stretch.
- Child Care: Use your whole body by bending hips, knees and ankles, keeping child close, when lifting them (Don’t twist & lift); Try carrying baby face-out from the middle of your body; If carring baby on side, alternate the sides frequently. Keep the thumb close to the other fingers to avoid ligaments/tendons stress; Keep baby carrier above hips; Adjust handle of stroller to belly button level, and push with relaxed, slightly bent elbows; Use a pillow or arm rest to support the baby during feeding; When on the floor, sit with your back supported or kneel.
- House Work: Mopping: Stand upright, keep elbows close to the body, and move with it like a dance partner, avoiding torso twisting; Vacuuming: Stand upright and move with the vacuum; Bathroom: Use a small stool to sit or kneel in comfort while cleaning the lower fixtures; General: If bending for a task, arch back, take breaks, and change postures frequently; Standing at sink or counter: Use a wide stance and lean your stomach on the counter edge to lower your body and prevent leaning forward, wear comfortable shoes or stand on rubber mat and be mindful of posture, keeping your head up.
- Walking: Walking at a brisk pace is beneficial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and often helps back pain; Maintain upright posture to avoid slumping or leaning forward while walking; Use a pedometer to track progress and stay motivated.
- Exercise: Choose a dynamic warm-up that increases your heart rate & elevates body temperature over simple stretching; Walk briskly, swinging arms in a pain-free manner, start slow, building up to higher intensity exercise.
As the old saying goes, good health is over wealth. A good sitting posture can help us avoid some health problems as much as possible. By knowing what a good sitting posture looks like and following a few simple rules, most people can learn how to self-correct and thus achieve good posture.
[1] Jennifer, H. (2018, May 21). Sitting Positions for Good Posture. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/sitting-positions
[2] Allied , C. H. (n.d.). 10 Tips for a Healthy Back. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.spine.org/KnowYourBack/Prevention/Lifestyle-Choices/10-Tips-for-a-Healthy-Back