How To Sit

Did you know that most back pain is caused by poor sitting posture? Well, indeed, it is. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 40% of workers who remain seated at their jobs for around 8 hours a day have more back and health problems than other people.

Is it easy to learn how to sit?

There are many books that talk about a correct position when sitting. Although sitting correctly can really help us, and a lot, to improve the health of our back and end the pain we have in it, it is very important that we do not forget to do some type of exercise every day to stay active and improve our health in general. Try to adapt your schedule so that you can dedicate at least one hour a day to doing some type of physical activity, be it walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, doing Pilates or any other type of training with which you feel comfortable and at ease.

Swimming is considered one of the most suitable sports for those who suffer from back pain. However, if it is a sport that you do not master, that you do not like, or that causes you fear, it is foolish to waste your time doing it. According to Francisco Kóvacs, one of the top specialists in the fight against back and neck pain, it is more effective to do any sport that we do not feel comfortable with and that we are going to do regularly, than to try to practice another type of training that we do not like. Well, the most logical thing is that we end up abandoning it when some time passes.

Taking these variables into account, and taking for granted that the best thing to do for your back is to practice some type of exercise, it is worth knowing some Turks to know how to sit correctly and thus improve our usual position at work or at home. Do not be obsessed with reaching the correct posture, it is important but it will not cure us from one day to the next or improve the health of our backs as if by magic. Let’s see little by little what we have to learn to know how to sit correctly. Let’s get started!

What do you need to sit down?

To know how to sit we are going to need

• Read the next post.
• Pay attention to the advice that we offer you.
• Do not cut yourself and compare information with technical manuals.
• Do not be obsessed with posture and if you have frequent back and neck pain, see your GP and exercise to improve

instructions to sit down

Step by step to know how to sit

1. Get a comfortable and ergonomic chair. It seems obvious, but the first step to knowing how to sit is to have a suitable and comfortable chair that allows us to spend long hours in it without forcing us to adopt impossible postures or that will end up causing back and neck pain. There are many different types of chairs and not all people are comfortable with the same models. There are people who work much better and maintain a correct posture sitting on a Pilates ball, others who use very modern chair models, such as active session chairs, where you lean on your legs and knees instead of on your butt. some prefer to work standing up and others opt for office chairs with wheels to allow movement through the workspace in a more natural way and without forcing. Within the normal work chairs, which are adjustable both in height and in the back, there are models with armrests and without them. Personally, I find it much more comfortable not having a model with armrests because I use the same table to rest them. Other people, on the other hand, prefer the models with the armrests because they do not have the option of placing the arms in another place.
2. If you opt for an office chair, which is what we all usually have in our workplaces or study areas, place your hips as far back as possible. Once you have the hip as far in as possible, that is, your rear will rest in the center of the chair and your tailbone will rest on the back, it is time to adapt the rest of the mobile components of your chair. If you prefer to use a chair with a hard, straight back, it is best to place your rear end on the edge of the chair and make your shoulders and back as straight as possible. In all cases try to keep your feet flat on the ground.
3. Place your shoulders back, in this way you will achieve a straight back. All people tend to slouch both when they walk and when they sit. If you try to keep your shoulders straight, you will achieve a better posture and considerable relief in your entire back. Apply it while you work and you will soon notice how your position improves.
4. Adjust the back of your chair so that it composes an angle between 100 and 110º. You should never have a completely straight ergonomic chair, it should always be slightly inclined, as it is more comfortable for your back since it is a much more natural posture. Also remember that both the upper and posterior part of your back must be supported if you are sitting on a normal chair. This is not the case, of course, with the active session chairs, whose principle is completely different from the rest.
5. Level your shoulders and wrists with the height of the keyboard. Either by adjusting the armrest or, as is my case, leaning directly on the table where your keyboard rests. The angle in this case must be straight to avoid incorrect postures that cause back pain.
6. Position the keyboard and monitor appropriately. The keyboard must be at the correct height. This height is the one that allows your shoulders to be in a relaxed position and not tight. Try that it is at a prudent distance that does not force you to move on the table or the keyboard tray incorrectly. Regarding the height of the monitor, it must be placed in such a way that it allows the neck to acquire a relaxed and natural posture, without the need to turn the head up or down. Ideally, your monitor should be between 5 or 7 cm above your eye level.
7. Use an ergonomic mouse. I personally don’t find it comfortable at all, but other coworkers I’ve had throughout my professional career have preferred to have it to improve their wrist movement. In fact, more than one colleague has avoided tendinitis thanks to this type of mouse. These mice help you keep your wrist parallel to your body and in a completely natural state of rest. If your wrist is parallel to the ground, it can end up causing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tips for sitting

One last piece of advice on how to sit correctly

Don’t forget to rest from time to time. Get up from your work station, walk lightly, stretch your legs and do core stretches. In this way you will be able to improve your posture and prevent the back from overloading in those points where it always hurts.