Ensure that the sitting position is correct. We sit for more than 8 h a day, this is not what our body was designed for. Careless sitting does us harm. So, how do we sit optimally?
To ensure that the sitting position does not bring pain and discomfort, make sure to engage as many muscles in the body as possible. “What do you mean, by sitting, I have to engage my muscles? “
Well, yes, your postural muscles, the ones responsible for the correct position of the body, should have the right tension.
Consequences of a sedentary lifestyle
If you sit with a hunched back, you automatically give a signal to the nervous system for an abnormal pattern of your posture and so:
- your back muscles become weakened,
- neck strained, from an excessively forward head,
- chest tight and blocked,
- breathing shallow, diaphragm compressed.
As a consequence of the carelessly adopted sitting position, the far-reaching effects are:
- spinal pains,
- headaches,
- digestive problems,
- weakened pelvic floor muscles, which is associated with the problem of urinary incontinence,
- numbness in the limbs.
How to sit correctly?
- Position your pelvis neutrally on the chair, don’t let it hang down, just keep it active, the ischial tuberosities – that is the bones you are sitting on try to make them wide apart, this will provide a stable base and space in the pelvis for the internal organs to lay down.
- Do not lean against the back of the chair, ensure that the spine is vertical, that it stretches upwards (spinal elongation), this will contribute to the activation of the spinal muscles, as well as giving space for the internal organs to position themselves correctly in relation to each other, there will be no excessive squeezing. This is especially important for your intestines, so that they are not overly squashed and can function in full passage.
- Time for your head. Imagine someone pulling an invisible thread behind the top of it, which positions your head over your spine and signals your whole system to elongate. Insert your mandible gently, like a drawer into a cupboard. The distance between your jaw and the handle of your sternum should accommodate your fist.
Relax your shoulders, away from your lower earlobes - Absolutely do not cross your leg behind your leg, this restricts the flow in the femoral arteries and also misaligns the pelvis, with the risk of scoliosis. Also, do not put one of your feet under your buttock. Place your feet hip-width apart, knees gently outwards, make space in your pelvis and keep the position open.
- Concentrate on the three points under your feet, between the metatarsus and the toe, the metatarsus and the little toe and the heel bump. All these points should maintain contact with the ground, preserving the arches, longitudinal and transverse, of the foot.
- Get up as often as you can and take a walk to get a glass of water.
If you would like to improve your posture, apply via the form for a consultation
