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Best Sitting Posture Is Not Straight Up
Posted by
kdawson
on Tue Nov 28, 2006 02:15 PM
from the try-typing-in-that-position dept.
from the try-typing-in-that-position dept.
An anonymous reader writes, "Researchers at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland used a new form of magnetic resonance imaging to collect images from 22 healthy volunteers, who assumed three different sitting positions: slouching posture in which the body is hunched forward, an upright 90-degree sitting position, and a relaxed position where the subject reclined backward 135 degrees. They concluded that the reclined position is the best, and the forward slouch the worst." From the article: "'We were not created to sit down for long hours, but somehow modern life requires the vast majority of the global population to work in a seated position,' Dr. Bashir said. 'This made our search for the optimal sitting position all the more important.'"
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Ask Slashdot: Dealing with Posture Problems? 125 comments
WebfishUK asks: "Musculo-skeletal problems (such as back pain) affect most computer users sooner or later. Like others I spend many hours sat in front of a computer and wonder what the long-term health implications will be. I recently came across a website for an application called Posture Minder which apparently runs in the background and uses your web-cam to monitor how you are sitting and warn you about bad posture habits. It sounds like a neat idea (prevention being the best cure and all that), although the website doesn't have a download. Do Slashdot readers have other devices or any habits that they have adopted to mitigate the health risks of spending a lot of time in front of a computer?"
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Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
I'm now reclining back at 135 degrees, with my monitor sitting atop a 4-foot high stack of phone books, right in front of me. Of course, it took some doing to get the monitor angled down so I'm facing it straight on. As long as the duct tape holds, everything is gre
NO CARRIER
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
I'm typing this reclined in a lazyboy with a 22" wide screen monitor, mounted with an arm to the desk next to the chair, hovering about 18" away from eyes at a perfect viewing angle using a wireless keyboard and trackball connected to an 8 way KVM with 5 computers lined up within reach under the desk next to the chair. Add in the sound system, 42" HD LCD TV visible just to the right of the monitor and it makes for a work environment I don't mind spending 14 hours a day in. Oh... I also have an exercise bike that the arm mounted monitor can reach and I rigged with mounts for the keyboard and trackball. The only thing I haven't figured out is the whole bathroom thing.
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
You sir may just be the biggest, dorkiest, geek ever born. I salute you
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
Solution: Eric Cartman's Mom.
Re:Is it just me... (Score:5, Funny)
I'm sure a good plumber could work it for you. You'll probably have to forgo pants.
Re:Is it just me... (Score:4, Funny)
The only thing I haven't figured out is the whole bathroom thing.
Hmm, yeah, problem solved [depend.com]
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
sig: "I'll slouch when I'm dead!"
Re:Is it just me... (Score:4, Funny)
Oh come on, I was already leaning back, don't you remember? Fat Joe told us to do this a couple years ago.
I thought of South Park and WoW. :) (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Is it just me... Reminds me of.. (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Is it just me... (Score:4, Interesting)
This is actually one of the better pseudo-scientific studies at least, can finally get some closure on all those times I was told 'SIT UP STRAIGHT!'
Vast majority? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Vast majority? (Score:5, Interesting)
They would spend their days either sitting on a couch or a bar stool. They would slouch backward on a couch, which is good, or slouch forward on a bar stool, which is bad.
75% of the first-world economy is in the service sector. This tends to mean desk jobs. Farmers would probably spend a good deal of time sitting while driving equipment or filing for government hand-outs. Many factory workers would be seated, too, on stools to assemble small items. I would guess that less than 10% of jobs require a significant amount of standing/moving.
Re:Vast majority? (Score:5, Insightful)
A+ for slipping in this criticism of the farm subsidy system.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Vast majority? (Score:4, Funny)
Best for the back... (Score:5, Interesting)
In other words, can you please do a study confirming (to my employer, of course) that this 135 degree reclined position does not adversely affect my the bloodflow to the brain, attention span, ability to perform complex mental tasks, etc?
From my anecdotal experience with video games, I can definitely say that my performance is much better when I am leaning forward than when I am reclining -- though this may also have something to do with distance from the monitor, etc.
Re:Best for the back... (Score:4, Funny)
From my anecdotal experience with video games, I can definitely say that my performance is much better when I am leaning forward than when I am reclining -- though this may also have something to do with distance from the monitor, etc.
I believe this would have something to do with leaning forward being a more 'aggressive' stance.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Best for the back... (Score:5, Funny)
That is why I, as well as millions of my fellow americans, are doing everything we can to be the fattest people on earth. We're simply trying to increase our body mass index to the point where our necks are irrelevant and our shoulders and fat rolls can hold our heads up while we stare into our computers.
WOOT! (Score:5, Funny)
I now return you to your regularly scheduled slouching.
Curling and slithering like a worm is good too (Score:5, Interesting)
My work had some ergonomics person come in and monitor us for a few minutes and ask us questions about our chairs and desks. Apparently someone at my work must have developed some sort of carpal tunnel or something because in the 6 years I've been here this was the first time I was ever asked about how I liked my desk or chair. Anyway I don't actually sit in my chair, I tend to curl up into it, and essentially I sit on one leg at a time and lean to the left or right depending on which leg is under me. I also am a big fan of occasionally placing both feet up on the APC under the desk and leaning from side to side.
In addition to this I don't stay in any one position very long, but rather am constantly shifting or moving from time to time. The lady interviewing me told me that this was actually good and that only people who confine themselves to one given position for a very long time (read entire work day) are the ones who generally have trouble or develop problems with their joints.
So slither and fidget in your chair, it's good for you.
Finally, some recognition! (Score:5, Funny)
Lessons from DS9 (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Admiral Rickover knew this... (Score:5, Interesting)
In his office he had two inches chopped off of the front two legs of his "guest" chairs, which forced guests in his office to be leaning forward. This put them in an uncomfortable position and gave him a subliminal "upper hand" over his guests.
Adm. Rickover knew this 50 years ago. This study is nothing but a confirmation of common sense.
Welcome to the 70's (Score:5, Interesting)
Since I have never found a kneeling chair that doesn't suck I tend to sit on the edge of my chair with my knees down, roughly approximating the "optimal" 135 degree angle. Rough on the chair, but over the long haul it makes my back happier.
They are not talking about kneel-chairs (Score:3, Insightful)
No, the article specifically describes the posture as reclining. FTFA:
The patients assumed
Why not go on? (Score:5, Funny)
Sitting upright -> better
Sitting in 135 degrees -> healthy
Sitting in 180 degrees -> wow, that feels great!
So basically they've found out that the more you incline backward the less you put preassure on your body. Very impressive. Too bad we can't lay down and work at the same time.
Re:Why not go on? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Why not go on? (Score:5, Funny)
Well-founded study (Score:4, Funny)
Wait (Score:4, Funny)
If it's too late for you.... (Score:5, Interesting)
- Avoid sitting. Stand up and walk around every half hour. More often if possible.
- When you are sitting, try to lean back like TFA says.
- Every night, before you go to bed, decompress your lower spine: lie on your back and put a few books (about 4-5 inches high) beneath your coccyx. NOT the small of you back - I'm talking about the top of your butt-crack: there is a flat area of bone there, put the pile of books there and lie out flat with your arms over your head for a few minutes. If it hurts - then it's doing some good. If you feel a "crack" then even better: that's some tension coming out.
- Turn over and do the "cobra" position. Plant your hands on the floor and jam your hips down to the ground so that your spine bends backwards in a massive curve. Keep this position (and keep your head and neck up straight) for a few minutes at a time.
- If you're not fit, consider also doing some stomach curls (Google 'em) and lower back strengthening routines. The better your musculature is around there, the better those muscles can support your spine and prevent injury by sudden movement. Movement which, if your lower spine is compressed by lots of sitting, will be more damaging.
There is it. Your 5-mins per day spinal insurance policy.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor - I'm (former) back pain sufferer that got rid of the pain by doing the above.
Missing Option(s) (Score:5, Funny)
On knees under my desk
My secretary says both work great for her.
Support... (Score:5, Insightful)
Trust me, I know.
They make to many assumptions (Score:5, Informative)
2. Intervertebral discs NEED load too - it's actually healthy for the disc. So unloading it all day will make it weaker and could actually lead to a disc prolapse.
3. One study recently showed that it was actually beneficial for your discs if you were overweight! However if you do have a degenerated disc - it becomes more a part of the problem. Still the rest of your discs will need to be loaded.
4. Another study that tried to identify risk factors for long term disability in workers found that x-rays and MRI's gave little value - one factor that actually did prove to be a risk was if the worker was miserable at work.
Which brings me to my point; Keep moving. No one posture is good or bad for your back - they all become bad if you sustain them for too long. The worst thing a back patient can do is to stop using their backs. I always encourage my patients (I'm a physical therapist with a masters in manual therapy) to keep moving!
Subject (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Now, replace your chair with mine. The one I was issued at work.
I have to say that this chair was the best investment they
Re:Guess kneeling chairs got it right. (Score:5, Informative)
What you want to do is spread your weight over as large a surface area as possible in order to minimize the strain on any one part, which means a chair that leans backward you're resting against. These latest suggestions seems similar to the "Zero Gravity" chairs that claim they're based on NASA research on reducing pressure on the spine (I'd love to find a real citation for that rather than just sales copy). I purchased a cheap recliner based on that type of design from General Superstore [generalsuperstore.com] that I've been happy with. At the office, I just lean my chair back; after a full day of working my back and hips feel dramatically better in that position than they ever did when I was sitting up straight.
While I'm babbling on this topic, I'd also suggest those trying to improve their back health look at the recommendations from Dr. Bookspan [drbookspan.com] I've become a real fan of some of the exercises she recommends there, and much of the most useful information from her is free on the web site.