3 Steps To Help Correct Your Sitting Posture

Most of spend most of our day sitting, beginning at the breakfast table then the commute to work, sitting behind a desk all day and then a television at home after work. We sit when we eat, when we work and when we relax, which is truly many hours of sitting, and probably slouching. This amount of time sitting down can have a negative effect on the curvature of your spine.

Since we rarely think about how we sit, it should come as no surprise that millions of adults suffer from mild to chronic back pain. Spending so much time in a seated position means that most of us focus on immediate comfort rather than long-term comfort. You may feel comfortable with your shoulders slumped and your back hunched over the computer, but once you stand up or straighten your back you find a tightening in your back and spine.

Poor posture while sitting forces the spine into an unnatural position, that is something other than the ‘S’ curve it should remain in, and the spine gets used to this position. When the spine shifts out of this position, you will feel the onset of pain.

Today I want to share with you three easy steps to help correct your posture while you sit.

Step 1: Notice Your Posture

When you sit down–in a chair or on a sofa–take note of your posture and the position of your spine. If you don’t recognize that your posture is incorrect, the chances of you correcting it are very slim. Scoot back in the chair or sofa until your lower back is resting against the area intended to support the lumbar region.

Keep your back straight and make chair adjustments as needed to keep your head in proper position and make sure your feet are flat on the floor.

Step 2: Quality Sitting

A quality chair can go a long way to helping you sit up straight thereby alleviating back pain. The perfect office chair will have an arched back to help maintain the ‘S’ curve of the spine. There are many chairs with additional lumbar support to help you maintain proper posture all day long.

It would be ideal if your chair does not include a headrest as they have a tendency to push your head forward, and out of alignment with your spine. Make sure the chair has adjustable height and incline settings so you can sit up straight without your feet dangling.

Step 3: Use Back Support Tools

Since we spend so much time sitting, it is important to have back support tools that you can take with you, wherever you sit. One of the best support tools is a back support pillow that rests against the lumbar region to keep your spine in perfect alignment. Slide the pillow behind your lower back in the office, behind the steering wheel, at the dining table and even on the sofa while you watch television.

With a back support pillow you can maintain good sitting posture in the most unfriendly seats.

Remember

As helpful as these steps are to achieving the correct sitting posture, there is an important thing to remember: taking a break. Even if your spine is in the best position possible, it will need a break to stretch and relieve tension if you want to avoid back pain.

We suggest taking 5 to 10 minutes each hour you sit. Allow your spine to decompress and stretch your back muscles.

Use our recommended Freedom Back support pillow to help implement these steps and alleviate back pain. Keep in mind this is just one way to relieve and prevent lower back pain throughout the day, but there are many other lower back pain treatments available that you should try until you find the most effective treatment for your pain.