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Sitting Smart
by Dr. David L. Wick, D.C.

Sitting is an activity most of us take for granted. It's something almost all of us do without any thought whatsoever. We just sit. That's it!

Sitting allows you to take the stress load off of your legs and feet, but it also places more stresses on your pelvis and back. The question then becomes, "When you are seated, are your spine and muscles comfortable?"

When one is standing, weight should be equally distributed between both feet. If there is no postural imbalances in the lower back and pelvis, weight should be distributed evenly across the spinal discs as well. Slouching-type postures, whether standing or seated, place uneven forces on the discs and joints of the spine. If this happens once seated, the legs that are receiving a break from weight are stressed by sluggish circulation. This concept has been magnified by leg thrombosis issues in passengers of long flights. Unfortunately, you do not need to be on a long flight or drive to have circulation problems due to poor sitting postures for prolonged periods of time.

Very specific muscle groups contract when you slouch. You may easily find them, as they are the muscles in front of your neck, top of your shoulders, between your shoulder blades, and your lower lumbar spine. Press on them and see if they are contracted and/or tender. If this is happening, your sitting could be leading to some structural imbalances that may be very troublesome "down the road."

Sitting smart begins with thinking through a few easy points and taking action.

Selection of a Seat

Chairs you use should be supportive but comfortable. But what does that mean? Let's look at a couple of scenarios to determine the answer.

Work Chairs

Hopefully you have some abilities to decide on which chair you use for work. If you do, here are some features you should look for:

• Adjustable back support. This support should emphasize padding of the low back area. If the chair doesn't have such support, don't worry. You can add one. We'll discuss that a little later on.
• Adjustable height up and down to compensate for your leg lengths.
• Adjustable forward and backward. Although this feature is the least important of those listed thus far, it can come in very useful when available.
• 25% wider than your pelvis. Molded seats are only appropriate for those whose pelvises are sized exactly as the mold.
• Front edge of the seat shouldn't cut into your legs. If it does, it reduces the circulation both in and out of the legs.
• Armrests. By resting your arms and aiding your entry and exit of the chair, this feature tends to be very important,
• Stable. If the chair can tilt backwards and has rollers, make sure it doesn't tilt back far enough to cause embarrassment and/or injury.

If you do not have the option of buying the chair that's ideal for you, you should alter your chair to best fit your body type.

Car Seats

Thankfully, auto manufacturers are wise to the need of adjustable seats. Most cars have such seats for the driver. Unfortunately, most passengers do not have this option yet.

As you are purchasing your car, look for seats with features similar to those listed above for work seats. Ideally, the adjustable car seats will have most, if not all, of the features a good work seat would have. Once again, as in the case of a work seat, if you don't have the ideal chair in your car, you will want to alter it to best fit your body type.

I've Got My Seat, But How Can I Tell If I'm Sitting Comfortably Enough?

First do your best to sit comfortably, and then rub the muscles of your upper chest area for tenderness. If these pectoral muscles are tender, place a pillow or lumbar support behind your lower spine. Make sure that the support is in the small of your back, not behind your pelvis. Once you have the proper support behind you, the tenderness of the pecs will be dramatically reduced.

Working At A Desk

If you're working at a desk, place your arms at the height of your normal work. Once your arms are in position, have someone rub the muscles on top of your shoulders. If they are tender, lower your arms or raise the height of your chair until the tenderness decreases. If you need to raise the chair height to position your arms (as in the case of using a keyboard), you may need to add support under your feet so leg circulation is not cut into by the front of the chair.

You should be looking slightly down at your desk. If you are reading, don't lay the book flat on the tabletop. Prop it up. One way of doing so, for instance, is using a cookbook holder to support the book.  Similarly, when you are typing, the documents you are referencing should be propped up. Consider a hook or something similar that can keep the papers level with your screen.

When I was a student, I purchased an Easy Reader® bookstand from the Northwestern Health Sciences University bookstore. The stand, that doubles as a clipboard, can hold even some of the heaviest textbooks and is available in several color varieties. It has served me very well for many years because of its handiness and durability. The Easy Reader® is manufactured by Reader Enterprises, Inc., which may be contacted at (607) 724-8865. The NWHSU bookstore may be contacted at (952) 885-5416. They happily ship their products.

The concept of keeping your books and papers off the desk surface is to keep you looking up rather than down. To find the correct angle, have someone rub the muscles on the front of your neck and look at what you are doing. If the muscles are sore, try elevating the materials until the muscles are soft. Having your materials at the right height and angle will greatly ease muscle tension and soreness in the neck.

In the Car

If you are the driver in a car, rub the muscles just above your knee and to the inside and outside of your thigh. (...While stopped, please!) If these are tender, moving your seat forward or back can usually relieve it. Next, move your hands on the steering wheel until you find the position that relaxes your muscles. It isn't very often that this point of relaxation is located at the suggested "10 and 2" hand positions. If you have an adjustable seatback, adjust the angle so that you sit upright and alertly, but with minimal tension of the arms, shoulders, neck and back.

Wherever You May Be Sitting

If you need further support for your lower back when sitting, it is wise to consider a support specially designed for the purpose. Core Products International, Inc., manufactures a few different kinds of lumbar supportive pillows. The one I've used for years with good results is the Sitback Rest®. Another good support they make is the Luniform™ Back Cushion. You may wish to purchase these exact products or find something very similar from a retailer near you:

	Sitback Rest® Useful at home, office or in the car, this cushion provides proper posture in any chair while providing support and comfort for your lower back. The side-support wings ensure ultimate comfort by helping keep you in the correct position.		Luniform™ Back Cushion This is an ideal small support cushion for your lower back. It is both compact and convenient, and may be useful at home, office or in the car.

This article is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment of any illness. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional. Please use this article for informational purposes only. This information does not replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare provider.