The Hindu Business Line : Sit up!

Say `posture', and surely those sitting will straighten up and those standing will assume a military like position. If we know the rules of right postures, why then do we find it easier, or more comfortable, to slouch? This is because the human brain interprets slouching, which is most damaging to the spine, as being the normal posture simply because we do it most often.

It is important to register in our subconscious the right posture, which is crucial to all our activities — standing, lying down, lifting weights, running, walking and, most important, sitting. With a little understanding of the involvement of props such as the spine, neck, shoulder, arms, and lower and upper back, one can be conscious of the correct postures, which the mind can then register as normal.

Sitting posture

We spend 50-60 per cent of our lives sitting, in one way or the other. As society becomes modern, we spend more time sitting. But are we doing it right as we read and write, watch TV, use the computer, drive, watch a cinema, or sit in classrooms?

Sitting postures fall into two major groups — static and dynamic.

Static sitting is when there is little or no change in the posture.

Dynamic, or active sitting, means frequent change of the posture, using the whole seat surface.

Sitting commonly falls into three forms — forward sitting (writing, dentistry), reclined sitting(resting), and upright sitting (computing, eating or driving).

Whatever the sitting posture, the entire body weight — that is, of the head, shoulders, chest and arms — gets transmitted via the spine to the buttock region. While sitting, the legs have minimal or no work. So there is no load on the lower limb joints.

The spine, for effective weight transmission, is not straight but curved at various places — at the neck, upper and lower back — forming an `S'shape, which not only transmits minimal force on the supporting structures to maintain the correct posture, but also supports the internal organs. So, understanding the role of the spine in maintaining a correct posture is crucial.

Sitting looks pretty much like a harmless activity. But sitting wrong can be more stressful than any other restful posture. Initially, when people sit to perform an activity, such as watching TV or working on the computer, they assume an erect posture, but as the activity prolongs, they tend to slouch. This affects the spine so badly that its ideal shape is disturbed and it assumes a curve that is directed entirely backward, taking a `C' shape. This leads to an abnormal transmission of weight on the vertebrae, which is not supposed to take the load. Over time, this may lead to serious health problems.

Sitting itself is tough on the back but slouching is one of the most damaging strains on the spine. If we are not conscious about slouching, the brain will interpret this as a normal posture and over time it will be recorded in the subconscious mind tending to drive us to that posture.

Some of the ill-effects of poor sitting postures include:

Weakened muscles of the back and neck as they are stretched for long periods.

Passively contracted abdomen leading to weakness and paunch.

Decreased potency of the internal organs such as digestive and respiratory systems.

Lowered volume of lungs leading to less oxygenation of the blood leading to more impure blood in the body.

Headache and general fatigue.

Pooling of tissue fluids in the lower limbs causing swelling or oedema.

Low-back and neck pain because of the abnormal load on the spine and discs (the structure between two vertebrae).

All these affect the concentration of the individual leading to a decline in productivity. These problems not only affect the person's health but also the productivity of the organisation. Most of us suffer from headache, neck pain or back problems after a day's work and we mechanically turn to pain-killers for temporary relief. This can be harmful, and is quite unnecessary when simple correction of postures can do the trick.

Though there is no ideal or perfect sitting posture, there are some basic principles that can considerably reduce the stress and strains of daily life — at home, work or play.

Some of the key rules to get the sitting posture and the environment right are:

Maintain the curves of the spine as far as possible — that is, be aware of good sitting postures. For example, it is ideal to sit on a chair with reclined back-rest that makes an angle of 110-120 degrees with the hip and trunk. This can do wonders for those whose work requires them to sit long hours.

Avoid long hours in the same posture by practising dynamic sitting. This can be done by taking a short break every 30-40 minutes. A break does not necessarily mean rest from work but from the use of a particular set of muscles that has been doing most of the work.

Keep the muscles of the back and neck in proper strength by supporting the lower back and shoulder blades without compromising the spinal curves while sitting.

Practise spinal mobility and breathing exercises regularly, even while at work.

Choose the right table and chair for every activity. For example, a chair too low will create pressure on the thighs from the front edge of the seat and a high table may lead to slouching.

Check the ergonomic aspects such as the height of the chair vis-à-vis the table/armrest, room lighting, distance between the table and the chair and so on. The ideal distance between the table and chair is when the arms rest comfortably on the table. Too much of a distance between the table and the chair, or the chair and the gadgets one commonly uses at work (such as the mouse for a computer professional or telephone for a call centre operator) would lead to craning of the neck, straining of the eye and slouching.

Don't you feel it is essential to handle the situation yourself by being conscious about the way you sit? So start right now!

Picture by S. Subramanium

The authors are Chennai-based Consultant Physiotherapists and can be contacted at postures4u@yahoo.co.in

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