Proper sitting posture

Proper sitting posture – How to sit in a chair

“How to sit in a chair? What kind of an article is this? Who doesn’t know how to sit in a chair? You guys must have no more ideas!”

If we only got a penny for every time we heard that… Yes, of course, everyone knows how to sit in a chair, it’s not rocket science.

Just put your butt there and boom, you’re sitting in a chair, right? Wrong. I mean, it’s not wrong but… it’s wrong. That’s how you sit in a chair, but it’s that all there is to proper sitting posture?

Well, no. Proper sitting posture has many things to it, things that we will be listing and explaining to you today! For free! Yas!

Let’s firstly talk about:

The health benefits of a proper sitting posture

The right sitting position can benefit your physical health in many different ways.  Here is a quick look at the top benefits of sitting in the correct position when you work.

Less back pain

Less Back Pain

Just think about how many hours you spend each day just… sitting.  The average American sits for about 10 hours every day.  Sitting for 10 hours every day without any proper posture (even though you’ve got an awesome reclining office chair ) is why your back hurts right now.

Sitting properly in a chair can reduce your back pain significantly because it reduces tension in certain parts of your back.  The ideal posture also forces your stomach muscles to carry some of your body weight which reduces the pain in your lower back.  

 Disclaimer: If you have severe back pain we advise you to go see a doctor. Chairs are awesome but they’re not some kind of miraculous remedy for back pain.

Better posture

That’s right, having a proper sitting position has a very good potential of making your overall posture better.

Don’t we all dream to be that handsome man or gorgeous woman that’s walking down the street with a straight back, beautiful body, and immaculate smile catching everyone’s attention?

Well, we can only help you with the straight back part… for the rest, you’ll probably have to do your research on a website that’s not about chairs.

But sitting in the correct posture will help straighten your spine.  This can help you stand taller and straighter and will improve your overall appearance.  Better posture can also make you seem a lot taller.  

Saves Your Money

Less money spent for doctor visits

When you have a proper sitting posture, you will spend less money spent on chiropractor visits (Sorry Doc) Sorry Doc, but we have to tell them this.  You will also save a small fortune on pain medications.  Sitting properly might even save you money on your office equipment because there might be no need for you to replace your office chair.  

Promotes blood circulation

When we sit in a poor posture position for long periods of time, the blood flow to our legs and other parts becomes restricted.  Blood cannot circulate properly and oxygen and nutrients may be restricted in certain parts of your body.  With a proper sitting position at the correct seat height, you can be much healthier.  

Reduces wrist strain

Hunching forward also puts more strain on your wrists while you are working.  This can result in terrible pain in your shoulders, elbows, and your wrists.  

Reduces neck pain

Poor sitting positions force your head into an uncomfortable or unnatural position.  This can put a lot of strain on your neck muscles which can cause a lot of neck and shoulder pain. 

Reduces joint pain

Joint pain is also a common issue for people who sit in an unnatural position.  When you straighten your spine, the same pressure is placed on all leg joints instead of having all that pressure forced on one joint.  When pressure is reduced, joint pain will ease up. 

What does it cost you to have a proper sitting posture?

Nothing.

Maybe some energy at first but other than that… nothing.

Buying an ergonomic office chair with more adjustable features sure does feel nice to sit in and can make a huge difference in your posture.   BUT proper sitting posture applies to any chair you sit on.

Now, let’s get to business.  Here is a quick guide to help you find a healthier sitting position on a normal ergonomic chair.

How to properly sit in a chair

The first thing we have to do is to adjust the chair. 

Adjust the chair’s height & keep your legs in this position

Adjusting the chair’s height is the first thing we have to do to improve our sitting posture.

The chair’s height must be at a level where your hips are perfectly parallel to the ground and your feet are flat on the ground.  At the right height, you should have your screen at eye level. 

The angle between your upper leg and your lower leg is very important. Why?

  •  It keeps you from slipping forward
  • It keeps your hips in the proper position
  • Your legs support the entire body
  • It keeps your circulation to your leg muscles from getting cut off 
  • Your monitor is positioned at eye level to keep you from hunching
  • You feel more comfortable while sitting for prolonged periods
Proper sitting posture

Keep your hips back and sink in the chair

Keeping your hips back and sinking in the chair it’s fairly easy, I mean… just push yourself back in the chair.  The lumbar roll should be in the curved part of your back.  Your spine should feel like it has a neutral position.

Keep your back straight & shoulders aligned

We just can’t stress this enough. Keeping your back straight is the only thing that’s going to improve your posture tremendously.

Keeping your back straight has the most benefits of anything you could do when it comes to sitting posture:

  •  It keeps your shoulders aligned
  • It keeps your neck straight
  • It improves overall posture
  • It makes lower back pain slowly fade away
  • It helps you create a straight spine
Keep your back straight

Adjust your armrests

Adjusting your armrests is another thing you want to consider.  Not all chairs do have an adjustable wrist rest or armrests.  But these alternative chairs are more ideal for working for extended periods of time.  Some also believe that they reduce the chances of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.  

What benefits do armrests adjusting give you:

  •  Less shoulder pain
  • Reduces muscle strain
  • Helps you keep your back straight
  • Helps you keep your neck straight
  • Chair arms reduce muscle tension
proper-sitting-position

Conclusion

As you’ve seen, a proper sitting posture is important.

  • Less back pain
  • Better overall posture
  • More energy
  • It saves money
  • It makes you more productive

How is it improving your productivity?

What? You don’t know what am I talking about?

We’ve already talked about this in our article “The only chairs buying article you’ll ever need”, check it out and see how important ergonomics are to for your productivity or how bad office chair posture can affect your work.  

Research articles:

The effect of sitting posture on the loads at cervico-thoracic and lumbosacral joints

You might also want to read:

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