The Truth About Posture
Over the years, ‘posture’ has become a huge buzzword in the rehabilitation world, workplace, and fitness industry. It’s often said that bad posture causes pain and that people should try to practice ‘perfect posture’ more often. Believe it or not, current research does not support the claim that poor posture causes pain. It’s a misconception that there is one perfect posture everyone should be striving for. Although there may be certain positions that are optimal for healthy joint loading or efficient muscle use, our bodies are meant to function in many different postures throughout our lives.
If you experience neck and back pain after an eight-hour work day at your computer, the culprit is likely lack of overall movement, not posture. Had you spent those eight hours sitting with ‘perfect posture,’ you probably still would be feeling sore at the end of the day. Sustained positioning in ANY posture will likely make you feel stiff and tight. But if you prioritized a little bit of movement every 30-60 minutes throughout your work day, you would likely feel a lot better by 5pm and significantly less fatigued than if you were trying to maintain one position throughout the day. Movement helps to lubricate our joints and activate our muscles so we feel less stiff and more supported. Additionally, moving often throughout your day will inadvertently cause you to introduce your body to a wide variety of postures/positions.
IF the option to move every hour isn’t feasible for you, then I would recommend trying to focus on neutral and symmetrical alignment while you are sitting for long durations. BUT I also challenge you to take an honest look at why you feel like you can’t introduce some type of hourly movement into your work schedule. Is it truly because of your job constraints or is that just an easy excuse? Maybe you need a calendar reminder or sticky notes to help you remember to stretch and move around. Do you feel pressure from your colleagues or manager to stay glued to your desk? You may find that just a little bit of movement actually allows you to be more productive in the long-run.
When I have these conversations with patients in the clinic, it typically comes as a surprise that I’m asking them to just move more, rather than training them to sit in one ‘perfect’ position. Movement breaks don’t have to be filled with long walks or fancy exercises. There are many simple, yet effective, movement routines that can be done right from your desk. Click here for a video of a quick movement break you can practice every hour to keep your body feeling good from head to toe.
If you are experiencing persistent aches and pains that you believe are being triggered by your work environment, our movement experts at Dynamic Physical Therapy Chicago can recommend ergonomic modifications and create a custom treatment plan that fits your needs. Please call (312) 643-1555 or email [email protected] with any questions or to schedule your consultation today.
