What Is the Best Way to Sit
Nothing is better than it used to be, including, probably, the chair you are sitting on now. They used to be designed with the human shape in mind, but now most chairs – whether in the office or at home in the living room – are too soft and too deep, according to Jean Coach (no pun intended) who lectures and lectures and workshops on yoga, movement and stretching. …
Upholstered chairs give our bodies a C-shape, while deep chairs ensure that we can’t put our feet on the ground without slouching. This, in turn, affects the way we sit, causing us severe back pain. The couch showed NPR how to sit properly in even the softest chair. Here are her tips:
Sit on the edge of a chair
Ideally, you don’t want your pelvis to collapse over your hips while sitting, resulting in an awkward C-shape. So, the Sofa offers to find a chair with a frame and sit on it, not paying attention to the back. She also says it’s best to keep your knees below your hips, so keep your legs at a 120-degree angle rather than a 90-degree angle.
Tilt your pelvis
Use a firm pillow, jacket, or whatever you have to create the roost. Place it a few inches from the front of the chair and sit on the front edge of the chair, Coach suggests, so that your pelvis is tilted forward. This will prevent you from slouching and assuming a terrible C-shape, and it will be easier for you to bend your legs.
Hack the car seat
The only place you won’t be able to sit on the edge of the seat for safety reasons is in your car. And “there is a big problem with the backrests in many cars and planes: they are shaped like the letter C,” writes NPR. “If you use them correctly, they will make you sit up and bend your spine.”
Sit on your back and headrest instead, but insert a perch support (again, this could be a sweater, foam cushion, or whatever else you have) between the lumbar of your back and the car seat to transform your shape from the seat. C to I. This will help improve your posture and avoid pain during your morning commute or long car trip.
Having trouble getting comfortable in your chair? Here’s What You Can Do | NPR