The Importance of Posture While Sitting

The Importance of Posture While Sitting

At WhiteTree Chiropractic, we know that many of our clients spend long hours sitting, whether at work, studying, or even relaxing. 

However, weak posture while sitting can lead to various musculoskeletal issues, including back pain, neck strain, and even headaches. 

As will be discussed later in the article, it can also affect your long term health, lung function and even brain function! 

So, this month, we're focusing on the importance of maintaining correct posture while sitting—and how you can implement small changes for big health benefits.

A side note

In this article – poor posture is temporary, whereas weak posture is long lasting and has resulted in changes to your physical structure, such stretched ligaments, smaller joint spaces, and bone changes. 

These might be called degeneration, but is a natural process the body takes to stabilise areas where the muscles and nerves are not working properly.

Likewise, good posture is temporary and strong posture takes time effort and practice to build the nerve and muscle strength to support this position, even when your mind is busy on something else.

Why Good Posture Matters

Sitting for prolonged periods with poor posture, can create weak posture which puts undue stress on your spine, leading to misalignment and discomfort. 

Over time, slouching or hunching forward can weaken muscles, stiffen joints, tighten connective tissue and contribute to chronic pain. 

Over enough time weak posture can even limit your lung capacity by up to 30%! Imagine having your lungs 1/3 filled with fluid!! 

Weak posture may also limit blood flow to your pre-frontal and frontal cortex
responsible for executive function (decision making) and creativity. 

Correct posture, on the other hand, supports your spine’s natural curves, reduces tension, and prevents some long-term health issues.

Feet flat on the floor: Keep your feet flat with knees at a 90-degree angle.

  • Back support: Sit with your back fully against your chair, maintaining a slight
    arch in your lower back.
  • Screen at eye level: Ensure your computer screen is at eye level to avoid
    straining your neck.
  • Shoulders relaxed: Keep your shoulders down and avoid rounding them
    forward.
  • Take regular breaks: Stand up every 20 minutes to avoid ligaments stretching
    and move away from desk every hour. (set reminders to remind you to set your
    reminders!!)

Now for some insights that I’ve not read anywhere else…

  • Slight chin tuck: Keep your chin drawn in and the crown of your head lifted. (do not tuck and look down) 
  • Slight squeeze: Maintain a light contraction of your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. (to allow your shoulders to relax).
  • Breathe: Breathe with your abdomen, not your rib cage. 
  • Poor posture(!): Short stints in a more relaxed position are useful as rest periods whilst you build strength in your small spinal muscles to support correct posture 
  • Practice your spinal exercises: I will have shown you these in the clinic - if you haven't been to the clinic, or have forgotten, please get in touch, or you can click on this link to buy this course. 
  • Whilst walking: Yes, strengthen your spinal nerves and muscles whilst out for a walk to help with your sitting posture! However it means not looking at your phone... 

Remember that posture, like health, is a process that goes in one direction or another over time...

How chiropractic fits this model: Remember that chiropractic helps because it is both biomechanical and neurological, so we improve your body function by helping the joints move, and also improve the nerve system function, by strengthening the nerves. 

This improves efficiency of movement, so increasing your energy levels, and improves balance and coordination which also adds to efficiency. 

And finally the research shows that being adjusted also increases strength and endurance as well as vision acuity.

Your emotional state: Take a moment to imagine someone who is confident and imagine the way they stand, then imagine someone who is going through a difficult time and imagine the way that they stand. 

And you'll likely see a connection between posture and emotional state. 

But we know it works in both directions! 

A low mood can lead to poor posture, and poor posture can also create a low mood, or a feeling of being stuck and having low energy. 

Therefore getting adjusted, moving and doing some exercise can help to emotionally unstuck you! 

I'm sure you can think of examples in your own life to bring this discussion to life. 

(I recognise that this is only a surface look at something that can go much deeper).

Your brain and creativity: As well as the emotional component to posture there is also a mechanical component to thought and finding solutions, which is linked to blood flow to the frontal and pre-frontal cortex of the brain. 

This is the most advanced part of the brain, and is responsible for executive function and creativity. 

Poor and weak posture limit blood flow through the cervical arteries, which limits blood flow to the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. 

So improving your posture also makes you more intelligent! 

(Okay so it may not do that...). 

But improving the blood flow to the frontal cortex may make it easier for you to find solutions to problems (creativity), and help you be more decisive!

In conclusion

Creating a strong posture, isn't just beneficial to your spinal mechanics, avoiding neck pain, back pain and headaches, but also improves your health, by maintaining a full lung capacity, helping to keep you emotionally strong, and may even make your smarter! 

(Well, it will at least help you maintain a healthy blood flow to the newest part of your brain).

Stay aligned, stay healthy

Whitetree Chiro