How to Have Better Posture
by Sharon Feiereisen
OK, who sat up straight just reading that sentence?
The dangers associated with sitting for too long have been widely documented, but ugh. Sitting? We spend most of our day doing that, and it can’t be that bad, right? Wrong.
Being too sedentary has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and spending extended periods of time hunched over your computer can affect the shape of your body by causing tissues in various areas to weaken. With that in mind, it’s no wonder dynamic—AKA active—sitting has become such a thing.
So, what exactly is dynamic sitting?
You might be picturing those bouncy-ball chairs, but that’s only part of the deal. While ergonomic chairs are helpful, dynamic sitting involves actively maintaining your body in a dynamic state versus passively sitting, and it can just as easily be achieved with a regular desk chair. “[Dynamic sitting] is designed to encourage the seated occupant to move,” explains MC Bodywork Founder Michael Ciardulli. “It’s basically sitting in motion, meaning you’re changing the posture and position of your body throughout your day.” The main goal is to avoid stiff positions, something that’s common when we get tense and stressed, as this can have extremely adverse effects on your muscles and the blood supply to your spine.
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How to sit dynamically.
"There’s simply no underestimating the importance of dynamic sitting to the individual who is seated more than two or three hours at a time," says Ciardulli. "I’ve found that my clients who work behind a desk have a higher rate of joint stiffness than clients who don’t." Ciardulli recommends arm and wrist stretches, doing side bends (you can use something like a paperweight instead of a dumbbell) to the left and the right to stretch what’s called the quadratus lumborum—the culprit of most lower back pains, and finally, doing glute stretches. You’ll also want to regularly roll your feet, rock your pelvis back and forth, shift your weight to the left and right sides of your seat, and press each ear to its nearest shoulder. "All of these are very easy and only take a few minutes. I suggest doing a few of them every hour, as this will allow for huge strides in reducing joint stiffness and back pain."
Just breathe.
Ciardulli also underscores the importance of incorporating breathing into your everyday life. “Every hour, take a few moments to take three or four really deep breaths. Breathe in deeply and then out slowly and press the breath out of your lungs. For an added bonus, do this while stretching your arms and shoulders.”
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Unfortunately, just because you’ve now learned how to transition from passive to active sitting doesn’t mean that you can skip gym time. “Dynamic sitting is meant to support your exercise in the gym while you’re seated at your desk to allow your body to live the best life it can; it doesn’t change the fact that you should still get a workout in,” says Ciardulli.
Anyone else practicing dynamic sitting right now?
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photo: Courtesy of PB Teen
