Patient Education: Proper Sitting Guide

Many experts talk about proper sitting, but most do not use the datum of ‘the root cause of back and neck pain’ - a bone that has shifted forward, which your body cannot correct itself. Everything I suggest comes from understanding this one simple fact.

To help you support your spine and joints properly while sitting at your desk, it starts with your chair, then next is the keyboard and computer screen setup. Not the other way around.

The Main Thing to Ask Yourself while Sitting:

While sitting and completely relaxed (no effort to sit up), does your lower back have a slight forward curve? At the very least, is it not rounding backwards, as it does when you slouch?

When you follow the steps below, your low back will naturally curve (back to front) the right way, your spine stacks up nicely above the low back, and sitting upright is almost effortless. When done correctly, you might even forget there was something to ‘make sure of’ in the first place.

Step 1: Test the Chair as It is

Start by simply sitting on the chair. Take a deep breath in and out. Let your body relax.

Ask yourself: Do you slump or slouch when you breathe out?

The most likely scenario unless you have the perfect chair already, is:  your torso does not stay upright without effort when you exhale.  These are the next steps to achieve that goal.

Step 2: Adjust the Chair Height

If you have an adjustable height chair, try raising or lowering the seat until your hips are level with or higher than your knees. 

If the chair will allow you to tilt the seat forward (higher at the back of the seat) then make a slight tilt forward (if a ball were to roll on a flat seat, it would roll forward).

Breathe again and check: are you Now upright without working for it?

Still not quite there? Here’s what might be going on (and how to fix it):

If your chair has a “hole” or dips in the seat, fill it in with a towel folded to the shape of the dip. If the back of the seat slopes downward (ball rolling backwards), fold a shower towel longways (about 6 inches wide) and lay it across the back half of the seat.  The ends of the towel will hang over the sides.

Adjust the towel thickness as needed.

If the chair you’re using is a regular folding or wooden flat back chair, do the same as above, as needed to bring your hips to the level of your knees. If one needed to “make-do” without a towel or seat wedge, like sitting at a lecture or conference, put each leg on either side of the chair legs with your feet touching the floor in a “tippy toe” fashion. This will give you a proper low back curve and the result you want. 

Step 3: Extra Tips for a final win!:  

You might not get the perfect height on your first try, so here are some tips to help you adjust your chair:

A. If your back starts hurting after sitting for a while, your chair is probably too low. Try raising it a little.

B. If your butt starts hurting after sitting for a while, the chair is likely too high or you’ve lifted your hips up too much. Lower it or tilt the seat less forward.

C. As your posture improves, your body will do better with a chair that is higher in the back of seat, and you may even need it as your spine becomes more flexible.

D. Shim = piece of something solid and comfortable)

If you are really compensated badly to one side, you’ll notice this trick really help out:

You can try using a shim—a thin piece of foam placed under either your right or left side—to slightly lift that side of your pelvis.

It’s placed on the “Side of Break-Down" of the Spine.  Ask me again what this is, and I’ll explain by text or on your next visit. 

This shim will help to balance your sitting position, and supports better alignment of your spine from side-to-side.  There will also be less TWiST in your spine by doing this.

#4: Last STEP!

DO THE BREATHING TEST ONE MORE TIME TO SEE IF YOU’VE GOT IT.  This will also improve throughout your program of treatments.