Do you have a Sitting Dysfunction?

Why how you sit matters

Most of us know that sitting for hours each day isn't ideal. But there is another part of the story we often overlook.

It isn't only how long you sit. How you sit matters too.

Many of us spend six, eight or even ten hours a day sitting. We sit at work, in the car, while eating, watching television and scrolling through our phones. Yet we rarely think of sitting as something our body has to do well.

Sitting is a physical skill

We tend to think of sitting as passive. You sit down and your body gets a rest.

In reality, your body remains surprisingly busy.

While you are sitting, your nervous and musculoskeletal systems continue to manage your balance, breathing, visual orientation, muscle tension, pressure distribution and readiness to move.

The problem isn't finding one perfect posture and holding it all day.

The issue is losing the ability to move comfortably between different sitting positions.

This can thought of as "sitting dysfunction". Rather than simply having "bad posture", you lose some of your ability to adapt, change position and support yourself efficiently while sitting.

Three ways we sit

Think about three common sitting positions.

1. Slumped sitting

Your pelvis rolls backwards, your lower back rounds and your head and shoulders tend to move forward. It feels easy initially because you rely heavily on the chair and other passive support.

2. Upright sitting

Someone tells you to "sit up straight", so you pull your shoulders back and hold yourself upright.

This looks better, but it often requires considerable muscular effort. After a while you become tired and gradually return to slumping.

3. Power sitting

There is a third option called "Power Sitting".

Instead of forcing yourself upright, you gently rotate your pelvis forward and organize your body over your sitting bones. The aim is a more balanced position that supports breathing, stability and easy movement without excessive muscular effort.

Why "sit up straight" isn't enough

You've probably heard this advice hundreds of times.

"Stop slouching."

"Shoulders back."

"Sit up straight."

The problem is that posture isn't something you should have to rigidly hold.

If maintaining your posture requires constant muscular effort, eventually you become tired, distracted or stressed and fall back into your habitual position.

A better goal is adaptability.

Your best sitting position is often your next position.

You should be able to move between relaxed sitting, upright sitting and more active sitting depending upon what you're doing. The aim isn't posture perfection. It is having enough mobility, strength, endurance and body awareness to change positions easily.

Try this simple sitting experiment

You can try the basic concept yourself.

Sit toward the front of your chair.

First, sit normally and notice how your body feels.

Now deliberately slump. Allow your pelvis to roll backwards and your chest and head to move forward.

Notice your breathing, balance and muscular effort.

Next, sit upright.

Again, notice your breathing and how much muscular effort you need.

Finally, gently roll your pelvis slightly forward. Feel your weight move onto your sitting bones and allow your spine to organize naturally above your pelvis.

Don't force your shoulders backwards or try to make yourself look "straight".

Ask yourself:

• Does breathing feel different?

• Do I feel more balanced?

• Does my head feel easier to support?

• Does the position require more or less muscular effort?

• Do I feel ready to stand and move?

The aim isn't to find a position you must hold all day. It is to develop awareness and control of your sitting positions.

Movement still matters

Even an excellent sitting position doesn't remove the need to move.

Change position regularly. Stand up. Walk. Stretch. Alternate between sitting and standing when your work allows it.

Your body is designed to move and adapt.

This is why we increasingly look beyond the painful area when assessing neck and back problems.

If you spend eight hours sitting every day, your sitting habits form a large part of the environment in which your spine has to function.

For someone experiencing recurrent neck pain, headaches, lower back discomfort or difficulty tolerating prolonged sitting, it makes sense to look at how the whole system is working.

How mobile is your spine?

How well do you control your posture?

How does your pelvis move?

How well does your body adapt when you change position?

And importantly, what happens to all of this after several hours at your desk?

Good posture isn't about sitting perfectly straight.

It is about having a body that moves, adapts and supports you throughout your day.

At Lane Cove Chiropractic Centre, we look at posture, spinal movement and everyday habits as part of understanding why problems develop or keep returning.

Next time you're sitting at your desk, don't simply ask yourself:

"Am I sitting straight?"

Try asking:

"How well am I sitting, and when did I last move?" Click to learn more about Ergonomics at work

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Dr Mark has a special interest in helping recreational athletes of all ages perform better and prevent injury. Correct breathing and postural alignment are critical for top performance and injury prevention and is an integral part of “The Over 40 Athlete System” that Mark has developed.

Dr Julie has a special interest in helping mothers and “mothers to be”. Her Post Graduate qualifications in Paediatric Chiropractic and as an ex-midwife give her a unique ability to help pregnant women, new mums and their young children.

Yours in Health,

Dr's Mark & Julie