What's a superior sitting position?

I'm well aware that sitting essentially kills athleticism, but for someone like me, who is preparing for a very academically intensive next seven years and spending a LOT of time sitting, is there any particular sitting posture that is "less" detrimental?

For example, when I sitting down at my computer or at a table to study, I often sit with my feet tucked under my chair and sometimes wrapped around the legs of the chair. Other times, usually when I am sitting at my computer and using my nice soft office-like chair, I will lean back into the chair and stretch out either one or both of my legs.

My questions:

1) is there a particular sitting posture that is better than the others? and

2) is sitting in a soft chair or hard chair better? Does it depend on the posture before mentioned?

Thanks

I have seen that leaning back at a 45 degree angle is the best for your back.

Just constantly change your posture and lean back leisurely. Sitting straight doesn't seem good.

Funnily enough I was reading a book about this yesterday, the book said something like your best option if your sitting down for long periods is to buy a fully adjustable chair and:

1. Your feet should be flat on the floor in front of you

2. The angle of knee bend should be 90 degrees

3. the front of your seat shouldn't touch the back of your knees

4. you should be sitting upright with a natural curve in your spine

5. You should be able to use things on your desk easily whilst keeping your elbow over your hip (need adjustable desk for this)

6.You should be looking ever so slightly downwards at your computer screen and if your writing you should angle the surface your writing upon.

In terms of hardness the book said a hard chair should be as comfortably as a soft chair if you're using proper posture and should also make maintaining proper posture easier.

Another option which is a little easier to set is a kneeling chair, I believe that they are popular with artists and architects although I may be wrong about that

Which is my way of saying that I have no idea.

I'm a computer programmer, so I'm at a desk for 8-10+hrs (lots of overtime lately) a day, but despite constantly telling myself that I need to a) improve my posture and b) get up and move every now and then, I rarely do.

Lots of research pointing to the standing workstation being the best for us, but I've not seen much of anyone take it up.

pogo69 said:

Which is my way of saying that I have no idea.

I'm a computer programmer, so I'm at a desk for 8-10+hrs (lots of overtime lately) a day, but despite constantly telling myself that I need to a) improve my posture and b) get up and move every now and then, I rarely do.

Lots of research pointing to the standing workstation being the best for us, but I've not seen much of anyone take it up.

I'd like to set up a standing workstation, but I think that I'd be too tired to train if I spent 8 hours standing and 1-3 training! lol! Although I suspect it would be very good for me. I'll see what I can do about gradually incorporating it.

spinelli said:

Funnily enough I was reading a book about this yesterday, the book said something like your best option if your sitting down for long periods is to buy a fully adjustable chair and:

1. Your feet should be flat on the floor in front of you

2. The angle of knee bend should be 90 degrees

3. the front of your seat shouldn't touch the back of your knees

4. you should be sitting upright with a natural curve in your spine

5. You should be able to use things on your desk easily whilst keeping your elbow over your hip (need adjustable desk for this)

6.You should be looking ever so slightly downwards at your computer screen and if your writing you should angle the surface your writing upon.

In terms of hardness the book said a hard chair should be as comfortably as a soft chair if you're using proper posture and should also make maintaining proper posture easier.

Another option which is a little easier to set is a kneeling chair, I believe that they are popular with artists and architects although I may be wrong about that

I disagree with the 90 degree bend. I remember watching a youtube video (or an blog post, can't remember) that was talking about the subject. They mentioned that having the knees and hips much more open naturally created a straighter back. They used horse back riding as reference. It's quite difficult to slouch on a horse.

Try sitting on a chair, but put a pillow or two on the chair prior to sitting. Let me know how easy it is to keep a natural lumbar curve.

I've found myself a kneeling chair for home use, this is just about the only way to encourage a forward tilting pelvis and its accompanying lumbar arch. I love it. In some of the chairs at school I've just given up on forcing myself to sit with any sort of posture because the lumbar arch is dysfunctional, and leads to downright silly neck positioning which could impinge all sorts of nerves.

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/AskCharl ... ve_ha.aspx

My cortisol is probably a lot lower when I slouch in a bad chair as well

I was actually thinking this question

I wonder, would it be beneficial to spend time sitting in full squat position? This wouldn't really work for a desk job, but for things like watching TV or reading. Occasionally I listen to music and stay in full squat for 5-10 minutes. If anyone follows mobility WOD (I don't, but I know of these), every now and then the guys WOD is to spend 10 minutes in full squat

MCem222 said:

I was actually thinking this question

I wonder, would it be beneficial to spend time sitting in full squat position? This wouldn't really work for a desk job, but for things like watching TV or reading. Occasionally I listen to music and stay in full squat for 5-10 minutes. If anyone follows mobility WOD (I don't, but I know of these), every now and then the guys WOD is to spend 10 minutes in full squat

Absolutely. It is how we were designed to sit.

RandomHavoc said:

MCem222 said:

I was actually thinking this question

I wonder, would it be beneficial to spend time sitting in full squat position? This wouldn't really work for a desk job, but for things like watching TV or reading. Occasionally I listen to music and stay in full squat for 5-10 minutes. If anyone follows mobility WOD (I don't, but I know of these), every now and then the guys WOD is to spend 10 minutes in full squat

Absolutely. It is how we were designed to sit.

I agree, but is 6-8 hours of squatting a day feasible? I guess you'd have to build up to it...

(opinion)

If there is an ideal position, it's a new one, as soon as your tissues are adapting to the old position. In any given position, no matter how physiologically ergonomic and geometrically superior and even if it somehow adheres to the golden ratio, eventually your tissues will shorten. If people insist on staying in a singular ergonomic position, it's because that is a much easier alternative than actually being kinesthetically aware and shifting your position for the several hours you spend sitting.

(/opinion)

I would assume, however, that keeping your desktop monitor situated as far as possible would reduce eye strain. Also, if you move your keyboard around the desk regularly, you can alleviate the strain of chronic shoulder protraction.

Good luck with your academic endeavors!

.sean

Patrick Smith said:

RandomHavoc said:

MCem222 said:

I was actually thinking this question

I wonder, would it be beneficial to spend time sitting in full squat position? This wouldn't really work for a desk job, but for things like watching TV or reading. Occasionally I listen to music and stay in full squat for 5-10 minutes. If anyone follows mobility WOD (I don't, but I know of these), every now and then the guys WOD is to spend 10 minutes in full squat

Absolutely. It is how we were designed to sit.

I agree, but is 6-8 hours of squatting a day feasible? I guess you'd have to build up to it...

6-8 hours of Tv and reading?

RandomHavoc said:

6-8 hours of Tv and reading?

NO! :roll:

As I said, I (try to) spend a lot of time studying, reading, watching (documentaries) throughout the day. Probably around 6-8 hours NOW, but soon (once I get a new part-time job at a nursing home or private clinic) it will probably go down to something like 5-6 hours daily.

The good thing is that for about 3-4 hours of that when I study, I sometimes study while lying on the floor (nice and cool down there) and I move around and switch positions ALL the time. So I'm doing a lot of moving, but kind of lying/sitting based.

sean.albo said:

(opinion)

If there is an ideal position, it's a new one, as soon as your tissues are adapting to the old position. In any given position, no matter how physiologically ergonomic and geometrically superior and even if it somehow adheres to the golden ratio, eventually your tissues will shorten. If people insist on staying in a singular ergonomic position, it's because that is a much easier alternative than actually being kinesthetically aware and shifting your position for the several hours you spend sitting.

(/opinion)

I would assume, however, that keeping your desktop monitor situated as far as possible would reduce eye strain. Also, if you move your keyboard around the desk regularly, you can alleviate the strain of chronic shoulder protraction.

Good points. I get up every once in a while, so I'm generally not just sitting for hours straight.

As for the keyboard and monitor placement, my monitor is about 2.4 feet from my face, and my keyboard is just below level with my elbows. My shoulders stay mostly protracted I think.

sean.albo said:

Good luck with your academic endeavors!

.sean

Thanks!

Patrick, I recently converted to a standing workstation due to lower back pain. It is a little more demanding than sitting but you get used to it really fast. Just my two cents.

Good to know, Kemp. I will most likely try to do that in the next few months. I'll be spending much less time at home studying, though, and a lot more time at my college classes. For the next few months I'm going to be concentrating very heavily on increasing my work capacity, so that should fit in quite well.

Yeah, give it a try. Let us know how it goes and good luck!