Don’t Sit for too long
For all your office based workers, taxi drivers, or anyone who spends extended periods of time sitting down. The ideal sitting posture is one that continually changes, thus preventing any single tissue from accumulating too much strain.
- Change Your Posture every 30 minutes
- Stand Up and Walk for a few minutes regularly throughout the day
- Perform Postural Breaks every 30 minutes
- Unload Your Spine at the end of the day
Postural Breaks
Repetitive posture breaks every 30 minutes help maintain posture when working for long hours in a constrained, slumped posture.
Perform postural breaks regular throughout the day – preferably every 30 minutes of sitting.
Posture Breaks:
- Sit on the edge of a chair
- Relax legs hip width apart
- Turn feet out slightly
- Rest weight on legs/feet & and sit up tall
- Tilt pelvis forward & lift sternum up
- Turn forearms to front
- Rotate arms outward
- Squeeze shoulder blades together
Sit Smart
Now you’re there you have to sit correctly. Firstly, If sitting hurts, don’t do it. If you must sit, avoid sitting in one position for more than 30 minutes.
- Generally, your neck should remain straight with chin pulled back in relaxed position.
- Shoulders should be draw back.
- Lower back should not be arched too far in either direction (neutral spine as discussed with your chiropractor).
Keep good posture while sitting at desk, reading and watching TV or driving.
Don’t Cross Your Legs
Crossing your legs, like sitting for too long, is just asking for back and neck pain. Sitting with your legs crossed puts your hips and lower back in a torqued position, which can lead to rotation of the pelvic bones.
Since your pelvis is the base of support for your spine, if its rotated and unstable, it puts unnecessary pressure on your lower back, all the way up your spine and even into your neck. Furthermore, the longer you sit with your legs crossed, the more pressure you put on your spine, which increases the odds you’ll develop an issue.
Don’t Hook Your Feet Under Your Chair
Your probably doing this without realising it. Hooking your feet under your chair causes you to go into greater hip flexion, which means more hip flexor activation, which for someone with lower back pain is something you want to avoid.
Due to the area the Hip Flexors attach to your spine, it means that you will be pulling on your lumbar spine and discs or extended periods of time.
Imaging someone pulling on your arm all day, it’s going to hurt after a while.
If you are struggling with back pain our Liverpool Chiropractor can help with fast, effective pain relief. And we will create a bespoke programme for you to help keep you pain free. If you would like to arrange an appointment, please contact us here.
