Sitting Well to Avoid Pain
Are you curled up on your couch, slouched at the kitchen table, hunched over your computer or rounded over your phone on a big comfy chair? Do you feel your back, your neck, your shoulders a little too much? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you probably could use a bit of movement at this point, but for the moment let’s take a look at the way you’re sitting.
The way you sit has a huge effect on the way you feel. Think about it. You are sitting an awful lot and whether you want to or not you always find your way back to a chair. If you are supported in the wrong places, those parts of your body will eventually clue you in and let you know that something needs to give. Shifting will alleviate the body’s stress temporarily, but eventually another part of your body will feel the tension and it will continue an ongoing cycle of stress. Yes, it’s stress, however subtle it may appear.
Stress, both physical and emotional, limits the body’s ability to function properly. You probably already have enough stress in your body although you may not realize it. So give yourself some relief.
Ok, maybe you just want to slouch on the couch with your laptop. I get it. I know how comforting that can feel. Just try not to make that your usual go to. Practice some alternative options and your bones may thank you. You may wind up feeling a little bit brighter and a little bit lighter.
The best place to start is when you sit down to eat. Here you will not only do your bones a favor, but you’ll allow your digestive system to work a whole lot better too.
Follow these 5 simple steps to practice sitting well:
1. As you take a seat, try placing your feet/ankles directly under your knees. ( If your feet don’t touch the floor, slide yourself more toward the front of the chair seats)
2. Imagine sinking your feet into the floor, as if you were making a clay imprint of your feet. Feel them really settling in. Now imagine your feet moving forward without actually letting them move. As you do this you may feel your quadriceps engaging ( the tops of your thighs), and then you might not, which is perfectly ok.
3. Place your hands on your hips and wrap your thumbs and forefingers around the top of your hip bones. Rock back and forth a few times to find a place that’s not too far forward and not too far back, ideally the place where your spine is aligned right over your sit bones.
4. Try to notice your spine here. If you notice it rounding through your lower back, guide your frontal hip bones forward to level. ( This is important for everyone, but especially important if you have chronic lower back pain or have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia.)
5. Sink your sit bones into the chair and relax your arms by your side. Feel your spine elongate from your sit bones up to the crown of your head, relax your shoulders away from your ears and release your lower jaw.
Take a deep breath in, the biggest one you have taken all day. Exhale slowly. Give thanks for your beautiful, strong body and go ahead, nourish it with a rainbow of nutrient dense whole foods.
