For many of us, a good portion of our day is spent sitting. Unfortunately, we often don’t sit with correct posture. Instead, we often adopt a slouched posture where the pelvis is tilted backwards placing increased pressure on the discs in our lower back and the coccyx bone. Alternatively, in trying to correct this slouched posture many people will overcorrect, resulting in the pelvis tilting forwards, creating an increased arch in the spine and gripping in the back muscles. Do either of these postures sound familiar?
To sit correctly:
- Check that you are sitting on a chair where your hips are slightly higher than your knees.
- Find your bottom or SIT bones and widen the base by spreading these bones wide.
- Ensure that you sit on the SIT bones and feel relaxed around the pelvis and hips.
- Lengthen through the spine and relax and widen your shoulders.
- Gently tuck you chin back towards your cervical spine.
Poor sitting alignment has often become a habit that has been reinforced many times over. Therefore, these postural changes take awareness, concentration and practice. It is best to remind yourself to regularly check in with your sitting posture at a regular time throughout your day. When you sit in the correct alignment, you will find it easier to activate your core muscles, relax tension and breathe more deeply. So have a try now and see how much easier it is to breathe!
Sitting Posture – with Angela James
We all sit for longer than we should. You can avoid the negative impact on your health and body by sitting in your best alignment. Here is a short video to help you find your best sitting posture.
3 Exercises to Counteract the Impact of Sitting
Often during work hours we are in static positions for long periods of time. This can lead to tightness or overactivity in certain muscle groups. Try these stretches throughout your work day to alleviate muscle tightness and improve blood flow.
Doorway stretch
Bend your elbows and place your forearms along the sides of the doorway. Step one foot forward and lean through the doorway, keeping the shoulders down away from your ears. You should feel a strong stretch across the front of the chest and into the upper arms. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 3 times.
Pelvic clock
Sit on your chair with both feet flat on the ground. Imagine you are sitting on a clock with the centre underneath your pelvis. Start by rocking your pelvis forward towards 12 oçlock, and then back to 6óclock. Move between 12 and 6 a few times, feeling how your lower back curve changes from flexion to extension. Now rock your pelvis from side to side from 3 oçlock to 9 oclock. Then move your pelvis around in a circle in a clockwise direction 3 times, then anticlockwise 3 times. Finally finish by setting your pelvis back into neutral with your sit bones connecting with the chair and your hip bones and pubic bone aligned at the front of the pelvis.
Seated Glute Stretch
Place your right foot on the floor and take the left ankle up onto your right knee. Sit up tall and connect your sit bones to the chair. Keeping your sit bones on the chair, start to bring your sternum towards your left shin and feel a stretch in the left buttock. Relax your pelvic floor and sink a little bit deeper forward into the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 2 times on each leg.
Contributors
Angela James
Principle Physiotherapist
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Jessica Teeger
Physiotherapist
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