How to Combat Sitting

One question I get asked in practice is “Doc, what is the correct posture, how should I be sitting at my desk.” This seemingly simple question however can lead to a myriad of answers and rabbit holes. 

First, there is no one correct posture. There are postures that are better than others but the human body was made to move. Holding any one position too long can lead to feelings of being stiff, achey, and sore. This has led to a whole variety of expressions and slogans such as “rest is rust, motion is lotion” or “the best posture is the next one.” The simple truth is more movement variability, within normal joint ranges, is always better. If you happen to spend time seated at a desk, there are a few different things that you can do to help your body.

First off, you want to make sure your screen is at least at eye level if not a little above. Looking up at a screen can actually increase alertness as an added bonus. This helps get your head and neck into a better position so the body is carrying the weight of the head with less muscle strain versus trying to hold it upright in a slouched position. The next thing to address is your shoulder position, ideally they should be slightly relaxed and in a downward and outwardly rotated position. Most people will hold their shoulders up and rounded forward which creates compression at the base of the neck and tightness in a variety of muscles. Once your shoulders are placed, you want to check that your rib cage is directly above your pelvis and that your diaphragm and pelvic floor are in parallel. An easy way to check is to put one hand on your sternum and one hand on your pubic symphysis and make sure they are parallel.

The last piece is your legs. You want your hips flexed to about 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. This position is a better option than sitting slouched but is by no means perfect. 

Ideally, we would all work at a desk allowing us to be in either a standing or sitting posture. If you don’t have that option, try to get up and walk for 5 minutes for every 30-45 minutes of sitting. This will not only help combat some of the sitting you are doing but also help you stay more mentally engaged in your work. If you are taking 5 minute breaks, don’t spend them on your phone which people often do in a slouched position. This can make it mentally harder to be re-engaged in your work and your productivity can drop. Instead, stand up, look at things that are far away, and maybe even try to get outside for those 5 minutes. 

Remember we are working toward progress, not perfection. As long as you are better today than yesterday, we are doing it right. 

If you feel like your work day is making you stiff and sore, call us at (616) 301-1702 to schedule an appointment.