Still Sitting? Well Stop.
Think about it for a minute.
What chair or piece of furniture is the one you spend the most time on or in?
What is your most favorite piece of furniture?
And are you a proverbial “Couch Potato”?
We can all agree, exercise is a wonderful thing but not always accessible in the world of work. Moreover, if you are sitting at a computer, or on a couch watching Netflix for hours a day, any exercise you manage to fit into your day, though helpful, may not be nearly enough to counter the effects of all the time spent in that favorite chair.
For some advice on changing your routines, check out my tips below in “Denise’s Two Cents.”
But first let’s start with the correct sitting position (if you’re going to sit, at least don’t slouch!).
- Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders back. Your buttocks should touch the back of your chair.
- All 3 normal back curves should be present while sitting. You can use a small, rolled-up towel or a lumbar roll to help maintain the normal curves in your back.
- Sit at the end of your chair and slouch completely.
- Draw yourself up and accentuate the curve of your back as far as possible. Hold for a few seconds.
Denise’s
2 Cents:
- What you spend most of the day doing makes a big difference in your fitness profile and overall health. So my advice to those of you working at a screen, seriously look into adding a standing desk to your workspace. They are widely available on line. Standing desks, or even props for your computer, can help you maintain a healthy upright posture.
- For those who must sit for long periods, consider a lumbar support under the small of the back, as suggested in #2 above.
- The plank exercise is a great lower-back strengthener. It can be done against a wall, with straight arms on a bench, or elbows on the floor. I recommend you do planks daily, especially if your work requires you to sit.