At the time of writing this, we are currently in the midst of the Coronavirus government shutdown and Social Isolation period and we are getting lots of calls and emails from people who are getting problems from sitting more than they are used to. So many people combining working from home with becoming at one with their sofa.
People have been getting in touch wanting to know what they can do to get through this without being completely broken by the end of it and so today I'm here to teach you how to... sit down.
Are you sitting comfortably..??
Then I'll begin...
As a Chiropractor, I get asked about sitting posture a LOT! And usually even when I'm not asked about it I still talk about it with patients as the MAJORITY of complaints that walk (or hobble) through my clinic door have their foundation in this very issue.
And I'm sorry to say it, but it's not the chair. It's you.
(1:05) Now, don't get me wrong, the chair you sit in IS definitely a factor, but HOW you are sitting in it is by FAR the bigger deal. Poor equipment doesn't help, but if you've got a lot of skill and experience using that equipment, you could still probably do a better job with the bad equipment than someone who has better equipment but no idea how to use it.
For example, if you give a talented pianist an old pub piano he could still do amazing things with it, whereas if I was given a beautiful, nine-foot Steinway Concert Grand, I could still only play Chopsticks.
Outcome is FAR more dependent on the skill of the user, than the quality of the equipment, So, what I want to do is give you the skills to ensure that whatever you're sitting on, and whenever and wherever you are sat, be it a desk, car or sofa, that you are able to use whatever you've got in the best way possible.
So, what equipment DO you need and HOW do you use it the best way?
(2:20) So first, you need a chair. It doesn't need to be all-singing and all-dancing. It needs a flat bit that should be parallel to the floor (It shouldn't tilt, but up and down is helpful) and an upright bit (otherwise it's a stool).
Chairs have a back so you can lean BACK against them and support... your back. And you should be using it. If you can change the angle of the back support, then reclined about 10-20 degrees is ideal.
Please, don't sit on stools, big gym balls or those kneeling chair/stool things (Well, you can, but not if you're using them for more than ten minutes out of every hour).
Should you have lumbar support?
(3:21) Ideally yes, but the chair doesn't need to have built-in lumbar support. Roll up a tea towel, hand towel or old jumper and stick it just above your belt line. Just remember, it's there to support the curve, not enforce it.
Armrests.
(3:42) No. These cause problems. I'd get rid of them if possible. They're fine if you're Chairing a meeting and not using a desk, but if you ARE then they are likely to just get in the way and stop you from being able to bring your chair as far under the desk as you should. This then forces you to sit further from the desk and then you have to lean forward, which puts your low back in a bad position again.
The three laws of sitting
(4:17) So with the chair sorted, I am now going to impart to you the three laws of sitting. If you can get into the habit of using these whenever and wherever you sit, they can make a profound difference!
1 - Bum should be tucked back as far as you can get it.
2 - Lean back. Your back should be in FULL contact with the back of the chair. Let the chair hold YOU.
3 - Shoulders BEHIND hips. Always. Don't round. Don't lean
These are the three main things to keep in mind whenever and wherever you are sitting. Get those three things right and you won't go too far wrong.
Now for those keen-beans out there looking for some extra credit, here's the top-level stuff!
(5:13) (Just to warn you, anyone using a laptop is about to be picked on. Fair warning)
1. Use as few screens as possible. A single screen should be close to the middle of the desk. If it's too far back then you will lean forward toward it and compromise your posture. Bring the screen closer and it will help to keep you back in the chair. Don't worry about your eyes. If you have brought the screen too far forward then you will know very quickly and be able to adjust the position of the screen.
2. If you're using a laptop then at least raise the screen to eye level. Stick a box, some books or a couple of reams of paper under it otherwise you will crane your head down and forward instead of keeping it up, back and over your neck.
3. Also, if you're using a laptop, use a separate keyboard and mouse. They're too cheap NOT to have one. Using the ones built into your laptop will ruin your posture. Keep your keyboard & mouse CLOSE. Don't end up reaching for that runaway mouse, it will ruin your good posture.
4. Gents, don't slouch or slump. Ladies, No perching on the front of the chair and no trying to hold yourself bolt upright with no contact with the back of the chair.
5. And finally, don't sit for too long. Even if you are sitting with perfect posture, if you're sitting for too long then you will still stiffen up. You need to make sure you get up and move your whole body, particularly your spine, EVERY HOUR!!
There should be a post from me on a really quick, very effective way of keeping mobile HERE , and another separate little exercise that I do at the end of my working day that works WONDERS. Give them a look. They will help!
As a final note, I will say that these guidelines are not a study in ergonomics, they are more of a cheat sheet of the key points to follow to minimise the negative effects of sitting as much as we do. They are no substitute for getting specific and personal advice from a trained professional.
So that's it! You should now be an expert at sitting! Though should you have any further questions then please get in contact with us via phone or email and we will do everything we can to give you the help you need.