Let’s talk about something that everyone does but few people do correctly: sitting. Yes, you heard me right, sitting. We all spend a lot of time sitting, whether it's at work, at home, or during our daily commute. Unfortunately, many of us are sitting in a way that’s harmful to our bodies, causing discomfort, pain, and even injury over time. That's why today we're going to discuss the five ways to sit as poorly as possible.
Use lumbar support1: Lumbar supports are designed to provide support to the lower back, but they can actually cause more harm than good. This is because lumbar supports provide input to the body in the wrong place! Think of the spine as a tall building. A lumbar support is like supporting a building at the 5th floor.
The support should be lower, at the pelvis which is the foundation of sitting and determines the position of the spine. Since lumbar supports are positioned too high, they can’t prevent slouching and may even cause slouching. Instead of using a lumbar support, look for a chair that offers support lower, at the pelvis.
Use mesh2: Mesh chairs may seem like a good idea due to their breathability and comfort, but they can actually be quite uncomfortable to sit in for long periods of time. Since mesh chairs are created by a tensioned mesh fabric that is held together by a rigid frame, the rigid frame can be a pain point. For example, the frame at the front edge of the seat can cause pressure under the upper leg causing discomfort and may result in sliding forward to alleviate the pressure.
The tensioned seat itself can also be a culprit that causes slouching. To understand how, we need to understand basic anatomy. In order to sit upright, the pelvis needs to be in an upright, neutral position. In this position, the sit bones are driving directly down into the seat surface. If sitting on a mesh seat, there is very little immersion which creates high peak pressures under the sit bones, resulting in discomfort. The instinct is to then roll the pelvis backward to alleviate the pressure, and this results in slouching.
Have a wide frame back3: A wide frame back may look stylish, but it can lead to poor posture and discomfort. To sit in good posture, the shoulders need to be rolled back.
A wide frame back prevents this and can actually cause internal shoulder rotation and forward head posture, leading to pain and discomfort. Instead of perpetuating poor posture with a tall wide back, choose a chair that has a back that allows shoulder freedom of movement.
Have a thin cushion4: A thin cushion may seem like a good way to save money, but it can actually lead to poor posture. Similar to the mesh conversation above, if seated properly, your sit bones should drive into the seat surface. If a cushion is too thin with little immersion this will result in high peak pressures and discomfort. And this results in rolling the pelvis back and slouching to alleviate the discomfort. Instead of using a thin cushion, choose a chair with a thick, supportive cushion that allows the sit bones to sink in, and offer pressure distribution over a larger surface area.
Use Recline5: Reclining may seem like a good way to relax, but it can actually lead to poor posture and discomfort. If you start in god upright posture and go into a reclined position, the pelvis immediately rolls back and slides forward on the seat, which results in a slouched posture. If you’re working hard to improve posture, choose a chair that allows you to rest in good posture. Choose a chair with a tilt feature, where the seat and back move as a unit. This means the pelvis can remain neutral, maintaining an optimal posture in a resting position. Tilt helps to distribute the weight of the body more evenly, leading to improved posture and comfort.
So, there you have it, the five ways to sit as poorly as possible. While these may seem like obvious things to avoid, many of us are guilty of one or more of these bad habits. By making a few simple changes, we can improve our posture, reduce discomfort and pain, and protect our bodies from long-term damage.
If you are looking for a chair that will improve posture and comfort while sitting, look no further than Anthros.
Anthros is the only chair in the world that is guaranteed to improve posture or your money back. The science-backed, patented design is registered with the FDA as a posture-improving chair and is proven to have the lowest pressure (most comfortable) cushion on the planet (verified by university testing).
Take the next step to reducing pain, increasing comfort, and maximizing performance!