Sitting positions

or the survival strategy of sitting.

Look at how your colleagues are sitting on the chair. Many are probably hunched forward and have to bring their arms forward to reach the keyboard. In such a position, the neck also goes into an unnatural position. Sitting on a soft cushion at the back of the chair puts almost the entire body weight on the glutes and thighs. These areas are not designed to be under heavy weight for long periods of time. Let me explain Let’s look at the foot for a moment – its skin is durable. The skin is thick and therefore able to bear the weight of the body for a long time. Now imagine the most beautiful person in the world, and imagine this person’s glute area. Does it look like a sole of the foot? Definitely not. The gluteal area is not designed to bear weight for a long time and therefore does not look like the sole of the foot.

Survival tip nr 1:

Whenever the opportunity arises, GET UP, MOVE, STRETCH, EXERCISE!

Few people work in standing position. Mostly we see people working on office chairs. Therefore, a forced position is created, which leads to tension in the back. Many people have their backs hunched forward for long periods of time, which puts a lot of strain on the back. Even a very good sitting position puts 40% more strain on the back than standing. If there is a massage chair in the office, go do some work there – a reason to change positions.

Survival tip nr 2:

CHANGE POSITIONS CONSTANTLY

Which positions could you try?

1. Imitate a sumo position on a chair – it opens the hip and stabilizes the pelvic area. Also stretches the ankle area as the sole of the foot is not on the ground.

2. Sit like a sumo – sit with your knees wide open, it also opens the hip, and place your feet on the soles of your feet. If the first position is uncomfortable for the knee, the sumo position is better because the knees are at right angles.

3. Sit on the front part of the chair – if you are wearing a dress or skirt and you are not able to try the previous positions, sit on the front part of the chair with your legs slightly open. This position forces more core muscles to be activated, which supports the spine.

 

More suggestions….

Improve your environment:

1. Try to stand as much as possible – this gives you the best chance to stretch and stabilize your spine. Stand up from your chair and stretch. If you have an ergonomic desk, work while standing.

2. If standing at your desk is not possible, place a pillow on the floor and try working in a kneeling position. This is a better option than sitting with a straight back and works almost like standing.

 

3. However, if you absolutely have to work while sitting in a chair, make sure that the middle part of the body is activated and the back is in as neutral a position as possible. If possible, try to sit in a cross legged position or a in sumo position. But keep changing the position!

4. Stand up every 30 minutes and do at least 2 minutes of stretching. Constantly changing the sitting position improves blood flow in areas where it was restricted in the previous position, but it does not replace movement. If you do not get up or do not exercise during the working day, there is a high probability that the range of motion of the joints will decrease, fatigue will occur and the general state of health will deteriorate.

Remember that evening training does not compensate for sitting during the day, it is important to get up and move every 30 minutes.

However, if the nature of the work does not allow you to take breaks so often, stand up as often as possible, sit with a straight back, move your shoulders, activate your body muscles and constantly change your sitting position!

Sitting with a straight back makes you happier!