How to Practice Proper Sitting Posture to Improve Your Back Health

Adopting the correct type of posture when sitting down doesn't just help to make you feel more confident, but it can also have a significant effect on your health. 

Most people spend their day seated, whether traveling, studying, working, or watching movies on the couch. Sitting for lengthy periods can have a multitude of adverse health consequences, including poor posture and injury to the lower back. 

Therefore, learning proper sitting posture is essential. This article discusses everything you need to know about maintaining the correct sitting posture. 

Why Good Posture Is So Important

The work from home and hybrid models have seen people spending most of their day seated. Because the long commute to work or having to rush from one client to the next is becoming less of a norm for many people, more people find themselves sitting down for most of the day. 

Research has shown that the number of hours the average person spends sitting down is higher than ever before. Additionally, entertainment has also changed the way we do things. People tend to spend their spare time watching Netflix while seated on their couch rather than taking a walk outside or visiting places such as amusement parks because of COVID-19 restrictions. 

Technology has also undoubtedly encouraged more people to spend more time sitting down, and its consequences on their health are grave. 

The truth is that for many people, changing jobs or spending more time on their feet is not possible. Fortunately, with the help of a posture corrector chair and some dedication, you can learn how to have good posture when sitting. Below are a few of the reasons why good posture matters and how to get the best sitting positions. 

1. Improved Muscle and Joint Function

Your muscles and joints operate effectively when you maintain the appropriate posture, which helps to prevent strain. Improper posture puts strain on your joints, causing them to deteriorate over time. Osteoarthritis is often the result of maintaining poor posture. 

Even though other variables such as age and heredity can raise your chance of developing arthritis, how you position your body can affect how much tension you exert on your joints. Maintaining appropriate posture can help you avoid muscle soreness and tension while also maintaining healthy joints. 

2. Posture Affects Digestion and Circulation

You may not have known this, but your seated posture can have dire effects on your circulation and digestion. When you sit incorrectly, you often compress blood vessels that supply oxygen to your organs, keeping them healthy. 

Compressing your blood vessels and organs causes them to function incorrectly, which can disrupt proper digestion and reduce your overall health. 

3. Lower Back and Spine Health

One of the easiest and most effective strategies to keep your spine healthy is to practice proper posture and best sitting positions. Good posture that can take work and concentration can give you good back support, which is particularly necessary if you spend most of your day seated. 

Aligning your body appropriately when standing or sitting promotes blood flow, strengthens your muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and keeps your blood vessels and nerves functioning optimally. Those who practice good posture are a lot less likely to suffer from pain in their neck and back. 

4. Posture Affects Your Mood

If you are in a bad mood, the last thing you may think of to make you feel better is correcting your posture and having a proper sitting posture. Because your mind and body communicate in two directions, your mood can influence your body's posture, and your posture has an impact on your mood. 

Next time you are feeling down, take note of your posture. You may find yourself sitting or standing with bad posture. To help to improve your mood, try sitting up straight. 

Now that you understand how important good posture really is, you may be wondering how to sit properly to avoid ergonomic injury.

How to Practice Good Posture

Following a few basic steps can help you find the best sitting positions and proper sitting posture. Be sure to follow these steps every time you sit down to help you find the optimal sitting position. 

Begin by resting at the edge of your seat. First, get into a slouching position by rolling your neck and shoulders forward. Next, carefully raise your shoulders and head. Straighten your spine to achieve a tall, seated position. 

To do this, push your lower back forwards, emphasizing your spine's curvature. Hold this position for several seconds, even if it feels forced and painful. Relax slightly, and you are in the optimal sitting position. 

You can also improve your posture to get a proper sitting posture by: 

• Keeping your feet flat on the ground in front of you
• Positioning your knees in line with your hips
• Using lumbar support whenever sitting down
• Avoiding the crossing of ankles and knees
• Investing in an ergonomic chair
• Keeping your back straight against the chair
• Relaxing your shoulders
• Taking regular breaks from your chair
• Adopting a sit-stand method of work with the help of a standing desk
• Placing your ankles in front of your knees
• Performing regular exercises to strengthen the muscles of the back and shoulders
• Practicing maintaining the correct posture consistently every day 

Chairs Matter

The truth is that not all chairs are created equal. Some are made with plastic, while others are made with dense foam and synthetic leather. If you intend to spend several hours a day seated on a chair, it is essential that you choose one that helps to support the correct sitting posture. 

What to Look for in a Posture Correcting Chair

There are so many different types of office chairs on the market, and it can be challenging to know what to look for when buying a chair to promote good posture and proper sitting posture. Here are a few features to look for in a chair to allow you to maintain the proper desk posture. Let’s find out the best way to sit with us!

1. Height Adjustability

A posture corrector chair is fully adjustable, allowing you to adjust the height to align your body, so that your knees form right angles, and your feet can be flat on the ground, which is the best way to sit and thus, achieve a proper sitting posture. 

Sitting on a chair that causes your legs to fold inward or outward can result in strain on your back. 

2. Adjustable Armrests

A good ergonomic chair also has adjustable armrests that let you move them up and down and left to right, so that you can position your arms in a neutral position. 

Armrests are one of the most overlooked features of an ergonomic chair, but they are often one of the most valuable tools to help relieve back pain. By resting your arms on an armrest that has been adjusted to keep your arms at right angles, you relieve strain on the muscles of the arms, neck, shoulders, and back. 

3. Headrests and Footrests

Additionally, buying a chair with a headrest can also help to relieve pressure from the back because they allow you to rest the muscles of the head, neck, shoulders, and back that work hard to keep your head upright to get a proper sitting posture. 

If you suffer from chronic back pain, a chair with an extendable footrest can be incredibly helpful at keeping the pain at bay because it lets you rest the muscles in your back, hips, and legs. 

4. Lumbar Support

Lumbar support has received much attention from office chair manufacturers over the past decade, and for a good reason. Research has proved that sitting on chairs that do not include lumbar support can lead to chronic back pain. 

You can purchase additional lumbar support if you don’t have a chair with built-in support. There are several options for you to choose from, and some lumbar support pillows also have heated pad features that can help to relieve tension in the muscles of the lower back. 

If you already have a chair with lumbar support, but still suffer from back pain, you may be wondering: "Where should the lumbar support be?" 

Positioning Your Lumbar Support

Having lumbar support is great, but if you don't know where to position it, it can cause more harm than good. Lumbar support is designed for the lumbar region of the spine. The spine has a curved S-shape, and your lumbar region is at the bottom curve or the bottom part of the "S." 

Therefore, lumbar support must be placed at your lower back. An easy way to find the correct space for your lumbar support is to sit on a chair that does not have lumbar support, placing your back straight against the backrest. You should feel a space between your lower back and the back of the chair. This is where your lumbar support must go. 

You can also take your lumbar support pillow with you wherever you go, as most lumbar support pillows can be used on car seats and plane seats, so you can ensure that your back is fully supported no matter where you are. 

ErgoChair Pro

If you are looking for the ultimate ergonomic office chair, the ErgoChair Pro, Autonomous’ most popular and well-loved office chair, is the ideal choice to help you get a proper sitting posture. The chair has flexible lumbar support, often seen on high-end office chairs, and is available at an affordable price. 

It also features adjustable tension and a 22-degree recline to help you correct your posture. Plus, it is fully adjustable, allowing you to adjust its height, armrests, backrest, and seat tilt, so you remain fully supported throughout the day. 

With a reclining headrest and several colors to choose from, this is the ultimate posture correcting chair that is ideal for those who spend several hours a day at their desk. 

The Positioning of Your Computer Can Affect Your Posture

You may not realize this, but where you position your computer monitor, ergonomic keyboard, and mouse can impact your posture. Looking upward toward your monitor can strain your head, neck, and your back while extending your arm to reach your mouse can also cause strain to the muscles of your arm, neck, and upper back. 

1. Position Your Monitor at Eye Level

Move your monitor, so it is positioned straight in front of you from your seated position. It must be roughly an arm's length away from you. Next, ensure that the screen's height is adjusted, so that it is directly in line with your field of vision and your head is straight when looking at it. Your head must not move upward or downward when looking at your computer monitor. 

If need be, you can use a few books to prop up your screen or switch to a standing desk that allows you to adjust its height. Be sure to maintain the proper standing desk posture even when standing at your desk. You can do this by keeping your shoulders up and your back straight, with your feet flat on the ground and your elbows at right angles to the desk. 

2. Position Your Keyboard Well

The keyboard you use must be placed immediately in front of your computer monitor. Allow between four to six inches between the keyboard and the desk for your wrists to rest when typing. 

You can purchase an additional padded wrist rest if your keyboard is too tall, and you must bend your wrists at an odd angle in order to type. 

3. Position Your Mouse Correctly

Ensure that your mouse is on the same level as your keyboard, so you never have to extend your arm to reach it. Your wrist ought to be straight while operating the computer mouse, and your hands must be just behind your elbows with your arm at your side. 

Final Thoughts

Now, how to sit properly is no longer difficult for you. Maintaining proper sitting posture or correct sitting posture can have a huge impact on your health, improving your circulation, preventing injury to your back, and even improving your mood. Follow our guide to ensure that you are adopting the correct posture whenever you sit down. 

Those who spend hours seated at their desk can benefit from investing in a posture corrector chair like the ErgoChair Pro to ensure that they remain well-supported and maintain the correct posture throughout the day.