“Don’t sit still, you’ll get glued to the seat and stiffen up and won’t be able to move” to quote one of my clients who gave me permission to share her words of wisdom.
There has been recent buzz about sitting “being the new tobacco.” What exactly does that mean? I think the analogy is a bit flawed because to my mind we should absolutely avoid using tobacco. Does that mean that in order not to catch the fatal sitting cancer that we should never sit?
It is no secret that staying active, in what ever way you can, reduces illness and injury, contributes to well being and helps us stay more youthful as we age.
We do sometimes have to sit, like right now while I write this piece I am sitting at my computer. However we can limit the time we sit without moving and learn to sit dynamically. Dynamic sitting implies we are always moving, even a little, and that we get up and stretch and walk every so often. I frequently suggest to my clients to set an alarm to remind them to move, change positions and stand up at least every 20-30 minutes.
When we are sitting we are not moving which is one problem, but it is also HOW we sit that contributes to stiffness, injury and inactivity. Some tips to consider for more comfortable, supportive sitting:
- Choose a chair whose seat bed is not too long for your height so that you are not being cut at the knees. Beware that it is not always the most expensive fancy chairs that are the best.
- Try to have your feet firmly planted on the floor, uncrossed, and about hip width apart with your feet under your knees to give you the best skeletal support. If your feet do not reach the floor try a foot stool or phone books (what else are they good for?)
- Ideally your knees would be at hip level or a little lower.
- If you can sit in the front of the chair so that you are not leaning on the back of the chair. That position is more likely to have you round your lower back, and cause muscular tension.
- Try to feel your pelvic sitting bones supporting you.
- Try a chair without arms so see if it is easier to work at a computer without the interference of arms.
- Consider comfortable dynamic sitting while in your car, at the theatre, at your desk, at the kitchen/dining room table and wherever else you sit.
To learn more about supportive sitting, join us at a Feldenkrais class or workshop. Next workshop is March 28/15. Click here for all the details.
