There are a number of myths surrounding the concept of “good posture” and it’s especially important to recognize these myths when sitting.
For example, “good posture” doesn’t mean being planted in your work chair in a fixed, upright position, holding in your abdomen and pulling your shoulders down and back.
Good or healthy posture means sitting in a way that allows freedom of movement of your entire body in any direction, as needed.
Try this.
Without changing anything about your posture, observe whether you can:
1. Turn your head to the right and left?
2. Turn your head and torso (shoulders and ribcage) to the right and left?
3. Can you breath freely into both your chest and abdomen?
If you’re engaging your abdominal muscles, you cannot breathe easily. In fact, when your abdomen is engaged, your diaphragm is drawn in and up, and your entire ribcage and back will be rigid and not able to move freely.
Your skeleton, and not your muscles, should do the primary work of holding you upright.
In order to see if you’re using your skeleton to support you in sitting, check:
1. Are both of your feet flat on the floor?
2. Are you sitting evenly on both sides of your bottom?
Sitting asymmetrically on one side can cause strain. (Some men already know this and remove their wallets from their back pocket when sitting!) When the weight of the body is distributed evenly over both sitting bones, your back doesn't have to work as hard.
3. Is your lower back rounded or slightly arched?
A slightly arched lower back offers better support and reduces pressure on the discs.
4. Are you leaning back in your chair or sitting forward in your seat?
Most people slump and round onto the back of their pelvis when leaning back. This causes muscular stiffness and strain. If you must lean back, place a pillow behind the small of your back so that a healthy arch is maintained.
For more information about sitting dynamically on your pelvis to prevent back, shoulder and neck pain, see my blog post called “Here's the Right Way to Sit in a Chair to Relieve Lower Back Pain”
If you’d like to experience more mobility in your pelvis so that you your back, neck and shoulder muscles are no longer responsible for holding you up in gravity, check out this recording of “Sit Like a Pro,” a recording of a short workshop that teaches you the tools that will give you comfort and ease when sitting.