Maintaining and perfecting correct posture can do wonders in preventing and relieving back pain. We’ve already discussed achieving excellent posture while standing, and now it’s time to address sitting posture.
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The majority of us spend most of our days in the seated position. Whether it’s spent at a desk, at the table, or in your car, it’s important to keep the correct sitting posture in mind. While slumping forward every once in a while shouldn’t cause you any issues, repeating the behavior daily will.
Proper Sitting Posture
While your mother was correct in telling you to sit up straight for all of those years, the advice “sit up straight as a rail” isn’t quite correct. In fact, you never want your back to be completely straight, as it is naturally curved. When practicing proper sitting posture, remember to maintain those three natural curves in your spine.
Follow the steps below to ensure you have good sitting posture.
- Sit with your back straight and shoulders back.
- Ensure your body weight is distributed evenly on both hips.
- Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle, keeping the height of your knees even with your hips.
- Rest your feet flat on the floor or a footrest, if needed, to keep your knees aligned with your hips.
- Try to not sit in the same position for more than 30 minutes.
Posture Check
Now that you know how to achieve good posture while sitting, here’s a little test to make sure you’re seated correctly.
Begin by sitting at the end of your chair and slouch. Sit up as straight as you can, accentuating the curve of your back as much as possible and hold for a few seconds. Release the position into a comfortable, upright position. What you’re feeling now is proper sitting posture.
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