How sitting affects your back is information you need to be exposed to improve your back region’s health. So many experience excruciating pain both in the upper and lower back region due to sitting posture or prolonged sitting time.
In this article, we will discuss extensively how sitting determines how much pain you feel in the back region, the effects of sitting all day, and the various sitting position that could harm your back.
We also talk about what you can do, how to properly sit and some healthy tips to ensure your back does not ache primarily due to sitting position.
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Effect of Improper or Wrong Sitting Position/Posture
The improper sitting position is one of the factors that could cause excruciating back pain and also damage the posture. A wrong sitting posture is capable of inflicting on you unbearable pain, alter your physical structure, and damage your posture.
Poor sitting can lead to but not limited to the following:
- The curvature of the Spine
- Back, neck, and shoulder pain
- Spine getting badly aligned or arthritis
- Poor circulation
- It can impair your mood
- Jaw pain can also occur
- Difficulty with breathing
- Headache or migraine
How to Sit Correctly
- Relax your two shoulders and keep them down.
- Avoid trying to push the shoulders forward, ensure they are always back
- Ensure that your chin is tucked in
- When you sit, ensure there is a curve around the lower back for spine traction, it will allow the pelvic to sit properly
- Keep the thigh, knee, and ankle at the right angle
- Ensure your upper body is never pushed forward (slouching)
See also: Top 12 Ways on How to Prevent Back Pain
How to Ensure Correct/Proper Sitting Posture
Below are some of the things you can put in place to ensure you sit correctly.
Posture Trainer
Posture Trainer is a small device you put on the back to ensure you are standing or sitting at the correct posture at every moment. It is synchronized with an app on your phone which makes your phone gently vibrates when you are either standing or sitting in an incorrect posture. The device is very small and cannot be noticed under the cloth. This sort of trains you to always sit correctly and with time, you get to adjust and get used to sitting at correct posture.
See more: Best posture corrector
Brace for Posture
The best brace for posture can be of help at ensuring you stay at the correct posture when you sit. The posture brace pushes the shoulder backward and ensures your upper body stays in the correct position. Posture braces are not bulky; therefore, they stay unnoticeable under the cloth.
Check also: Best posture brace for rounded shoulders
Ergonomic Chair
Most people spend more time either in the office or at home working on their computers. As sitting for a long time might be detrimental to health, so is sitting on a bad chair and that makes it vital to get the best ergonomic chair. There are many benefits of getting the best ergonomic chair, they include:
- Correct posture support
- Great for back pain
- It is more comfortable, hence allows more productivity
- Reduces neck pain
- Helps blood circulation
- Relieves hip pressure
Self-Consciousness
Determination to sit properly is very essential to attain correct posture while sitting. The self-consciousness develops over time it becomes a part of you. It can so develop to the extent that you sit correctly unconsciously, no matter the type of chair you are on.
Sitting Risk: Some Harmful Effect of Sitting for Longtime
Sitting for too long does have some harmful effects on your health especially your back region and heart. Here are some of the harmful effects of sitting for too long:
Harmful to the Heart
When you sit for too long, you hardly exercise your heart and that weakens the heart muscles. Cardio exercises are vital to get the heart pumping; therefore, sitting for a long time will not get you that.
Excess Weight Gain
When you sit all day, you use lesser energy, burn little or no fat and that gets you overweight. Obesity can be dangerous and makes you prone to heart diseases.
Causes Bad Back and Hips
When you sit for a long time, your hips and back muscles also suffer it. Sitting can cause the hip flexor to shorten while bad sitting posture will hurt your back which is why getting the best ergonomic chair is vital.
Weakens the Legs
Sitting for a long time makes your legs weak because you don’t get to use it often. The muscles in the legs get weaken due to less usage and that makes you even more susceptible to injuries.
How to Avoid Sitting Too Long
Sitting for too much time can be avoided if you take the following into consideration:
- Alternate between sitting and standing: Get the best standing desk to ensure you can work while standing
- An anti-fatigue mat will also help you avoid sedentary while standing
- Consciously work some distance by taking a walk at your leisure time
- You can stand and walk around while on call
- Use the stair
- Always take a walk break
Conclusion
Sitting does have much effect on the overall body health. Sitting for too long or incorrect sitting posture can be very detrimental; therefore, it is vital to avoid both situations.