Posture while Sitting

Take stock of your posture right this instant: chances are your head is leaning forward to the screen, your shoulders are scrunched together and your back is rounded. Or you are slouched low in your chair scrolling through a news feed on your phone. Any or all of the above are positions that many of us put our backs through on a daily base. This is because there is a human inclination toward laziness, especially when it comes to posture. We all know what good seated posture looks like, but after 5 minutes of concerted effort to hold ourselves upright, many of us falter and slide downward or forward. 

Nevertheless, a reminder of good posture is always worth repeating, especially as we are spending more and more time sat in front of screens. Try to remember this ideal image of good posture when working at the computer:

• Head facing straight forward, centered over the spine
• Natural lordotic curve in the lower back which should be supported by some kind of cushion. 
• Shoulders relaxed and not caving inward toward eachother.
• Buttocks touching the back of the chair.
• weight of torso distributed evenly between the hips 
• Legs at 90 degrees or slightly higher and feet rested flatly on the floor, without too much pressure being pressed upon them.

Even if you could hold yourself in this ideal position for 8 hours straight, it would not be good for your spine. There needs to be a regular dash of movement and stretching added into the scheme. However, if you can teach yourself to practice good posture and stretch regularly, your work day will not leave you stiff and sore anymore. Call our office in Houston at (713) 862-2440 for more tips on how to make your waking habits healthy again. 

Dr. Randall Holmes, D.C.