Funny title right? But just this week - and not for the first time - I found myself ending a Sports Massage session with a practical demonstration of how to sit up straight in a chair.
In addition to my role as a Soft Tissue Therapy Practitioner, I continue to work as a Neuro-Rehab Assistant for stroke, brain- and spinal-injured clients, not to mention my former role as an EMT in the London Ambulance Service. I also hold a current Train The Trainer qualification in Moving & Handling of Patients... so you could say I'm a bit of a "biomechanics geek!"
You probably don't keep a diary of how much time you spend slouching at your desk, sinking into your favourite couch or hunching over your phone, but poor posture is more common than you might think...
At Dom Chad Sports Massage in Andover, a high proportion of my clients experience discomfort and dysfunction stemming from just such prolonged periods of poor posture. Fortunately, with a few simple adjustments, you can learn to sit properly, retrain that brain-body connection and start to feel the benefits.
Why Does Good Posture Matter?
Apart from making you look healthier and more confident, good posture is important for your overall health. Benefits of sitting correctly include:
Reduced strain on the postural muscles of your neck, shoulders, and back.
Improved breathing and circulation.
Less of the tension headaches that often result from slouching.
General improvement for spinal alignment, reducing the risk of long-term discomfort and deterioration.
The Biomechanics of the Spine and the Role Gravity Plays
To understand the importance of doing anything, and to be able to do it well, I always think it's helpful to understand a little bit about how it works and why you're doing it. So in the case of sitting correctly, we'll have a look at the basic biomechanics of your spine and how gravity acts upon it.
Your spine is composed of 33 vertebrae divided into five regions:
cervical (neck)
thoracic (upper back)
lumbar (lower back)
sacral (back of the pelvis)
and coccygeal (tail bone)
A human spine
Your spine's natural curves—the inward curve of the neck (cervical lordosis), the outward curve of the upper back (thoracic kyphosis), and the inward curve of the lower back (lumbar lordosis)—help to evenly distribute mechanical stress as you move, stand and sit.
You don't feel it, but gravity exerts a constant downward force on your body. The lumbar lordosis in particular keeps your upper body stacked correctly over your lower so that your centre of gravity sits directly above your hips. In addition to this, your sacrum fits beautifully into your pelvis when the two are correctly aligned, but as soon as you slouch and roll back on your pelvis, this link in the chain of stability is broken.
Whenever your posture deviates from ideal alignment, gravity starts to compress certain areas of your spine unevenly, leading to discomfort, tension, and even long-term physical damage like disc degeneration. Slouching shifts your centre of gravity forward, increasing the strain on your lumbar spine and causing the postural muscles in your trunk to work harder in keeping you upright. Over time, this can lead to muscle fatigue and chronic pain.
Proper seated posture helps your spine stay in its correct, natural alignment, allowing gravity to act evenly down through the vertebrae and reducing unnecessary stress on your musculoskeletal (MSK) system. If you think of your spine like a stack of building blocks - when correctly aligned they support the weight above them efficiently, but if one block is out of place the entire stack becomes unstable and everything above has to work harder to resist that instability.
Spinal ("intervertebral") discs play a vital role by acting as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. They rely on movement to stay hydrated and nourished, as they have no direct blood supply. This process is hindered when sitting with poor posture for prolonged periods, and the result can be a reduction in the health of your spine over time.
Steps to Improve Your Sitting Posture
So here are some practical tips to help you start sitting properly today:
Sit on Your Sitting Bones Your sitting bones, or ischial tuberosities, are the two bony prominences at the bottom of your pelvis - place your hands under your buttocks while sitting down and you'll feel them. To maintain ideal seated posture, you need to be sitting directly on these bones rather than rolling back onto your tailbone or slouching forward. This creates the solid "foundation stone" for a correctly stacked spine.
Say hello to your ischial tuberosities! Sit Back in Your Chair Now slide yourself back until you are fully supported by your chair. Your lower back should be in contact with the backrest to ensure that the natural curves of your spine are maintained.
Check Your Feet Keep both feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart with toes facing forward. Your ankles should be below your knees and your knees level with your hips. If your chair height isn't adjustable, try using a footrest, or a set of "elephant feet" chair raisers to obtain those correct angles. Take a moment to become aware of the soles of your feet and try to feel even contact with the floor from the back of your heels to the tips of your toes and from the inside edges to the outside.
Align Your Head and Shoulders Avoid letting your head drop or jut forward. Your ears should be over your shoulders, and your chin should stay level, eyes looking straight ahead. Poor neck alignment can increase the tension in your upper back and shoulders, so try to maintain awareness of your posture enough to make small adjustments throughout the day, keeping the strain at bay!
Take Regular Movement Breaks Sitting for long periods, even with good posture, can cause stiffness and poor circulation. Try and remember to stand up, stretch, and move around every half hour or so - set a timer if it helps. Simply walking around your workspace is better than nothing, but performing a few light stretches, or rolling your shoulders and neck can make a big difference. Not only does a bit of mobilisation hold off the muscle fatigue, but it gives your energy levels a bit of a boost too
Try some dynamic stretches such as hip openers
or seated spinal twists during your breaks.
These will be good for your flexibility and mobility, reducing the risk of stiffness from prolonged sitting.
Stay Hydrated Drinking water regularly is essential for maintaining every single function of your body, and this goes for the health of your joints and the condition of all your soft tissues. Dehydration is a big contributing factor when it comes to muscle tension and fatigue, and you'll rarely feel this more than when you try to sit up straight for extended periods. Keep a water bottle nearby and sip it regularly throughout the day—it’s provides you with one more great excuse to get up and refill it during your movement breaks!
Water is also crucial for keeping your spinal discs healthy, the same as all of your soft tissues. As discs are predominantly made of water, so staying hydrated helps them remain plump and functioning well, reducing the risk of discomfort or degeneration.
Adjust Your Desk Setup The centre of your computer screen should be at eye level, and your keyboard and mouse should allow your arms to rest comfortably with a 90-degree angle at the elbow. Arranging your workspace around perfect posture can prevent you from putting a strain on your body trying to reach or see your equipment.
It's worth investigating what ergonomic office equipment is available, that supports your spine's curves and tailors your workspace around your specific needs. Check out options like lumbar supports or even standing desks that can promote better posture and comfort throughout your workday (but be aware that poor posture is every bit as possible when standing as when sitting down!).
Try a Swiss Gym Ball Using a Swiss gym ball as a desk chair promotes the engagement of your core muscles as you sit - making it more of an active rather than a passive activity. Unlike a traditional chair, the unstable surface of the ball requires you to maintain your balance using your abdominal and back muscles throughout the day - otherwise you'll roll off! This increase in your core strength will contribute massively to generally improved posture over time.
When using a Swiss gym ball:
Choose the right size for you: Your hips should be level with or slightly higher than your knees when sitting on the ball. As a VERY general rule - don't blame me if you choose the wrong one - small for below-average height women; medium for average height women/below-average men; large for tall women/average-height men; XL for tall men.
Sit with your sitting bones centred on top of the ball, feet nice and flat on the floor as with your chair (above).
Sitting on a Swiss ball with good posture Avoid slouching or leaning heavily in one direction, aim for that same, upright column through your upper body.
You can also perform simple exercises while seated, e.g. pelvic tilts
Swiss ball - pelvic tilt exercise small bouncing movements
Swiss ball - bouncing exercise alternate leg lifts
Swiss ball - leg lifts or marching
Swiss ball - marching feet to further engage your core.
Start out using the ball for short intervals, switching back to a more supportive chair as required, especially if you’re not accustomed to using a gym ball. If you find it helps, increase duration as you become more accustomed to sitting on the ball.
Exercises to Support Good Posture
Strong muscles help maintain proper alignment. Try these exercises to support better posture:
Wall Angels: Stand with your back against a wall and slowly move your arms up and down in a "snow angel" motion. This helps improve shoulder mobility and strengthens your upper back.
Wall angel exercise Chin Tucks: Gently draw your chin back to align your head with your shoulders. Hold for a few seconds and release. This exercise strengthens the muscles at the back of your neck and counteracts forward head posture.
Chin tuck exercise Core Strengthening: Planks and other core exercises can help you maintain stability while sitting. A strong core reduces the workload on your back muscles, making it easier to sit upright.
Plank exercise Hip Flexor Stretches: Tight hip flexors from prolonged sitting can pull your pelvis out of alignment. Stretching them can help restore balance and support better posture.
Hip flexor stretch
Why not try incorporating some or all these exercises into your routine, even if only for a few minutes or a couple of times a day? See what improvements you notice in your posture over time...
When to Seek Help
If your day-to-day activities are being impacted by posture-related pain or stiffness, I can help. At Dom Chad Sports Massage in Andover, I offer treatments tailored for your individual needs and designed to release tension, improve your mobility, and support you on your journey toward better posture.
Don’t let discomfort grind you down — get in touch and let's work together to get you back on the road to better posture and greater well-being.
(Sources of health advice and information: NHS UK: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: Health and Safety Executive UK
All videos courtesy of the Rehab My Patient platform)
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