Sit Up Straight!

Sit at a desk most of the day? Try setting sporadic alarms on your phone to change your posture! Or have a post-it note on your monitor

Remember as a child you would be constantly told to, “Eat all your vegetables.”, “Look both ways before crossing the road”, and to always, “Watch your posture! Sit up straight, don’t slouch!” At the time you may thought of it as nagging, nowadays you may even find yourself saying the same to your own kids – because as it turns out, its all good advice.

Modern life and technology has many of us living a sedentary lifestyle. Lots of us have jobs that requires sitting for most of the day  – whether it’s at a desk, or on a long drive.  or even after work in front of a television set, maintaining good posture is imperative for spinal health.

Sitting Advice

• Have both your feet flat on the floor, with your knees naturally resting just below the height of your hips
• Make sure your buttocks, back and shoulders are up against the backrest of your chair
• Relax both shoulders down and make sure you’re not hunched in a forward position?
• Have your body weight equally distributed across both hips

Keep in mind that it is not a good idea to sit in the same position for more than 20 minutes. Chronic slouching affects the discs between the vertebrae and may cause bulging or herniation.

Remember to periodically take the time to stand up and stretch your back and legs or take a short walk.

The chair you use should provide lumbar support that allows the backrest to fit into the curve in your lower back. This helps avoid pressure on the spine and prevents back muscles from becoming fatigued. If your chair doesn’t have it, you can use a rolled towel or invest in a lumbar support pillow to provide you with the proper amount of spinal support. If you sit for long periods, it is certainly worth the investment.