What is the correct sitting and standing posture?

As the saying goes: Stand like a pine, sit like a bell. Sit as straight as a clock. Nowadays, many people don't know or don't care about sitting posture, and over time they feel back pain. Maintaining correct posture is important for normal growth, development and health of the body.

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Perhaps you have heard of your mother when you were a child As mentioned before, sitting upright requires the stable balance of the pelvis to maintain. To do this, you must develop an awareness of your ideal body posture and strengthen your core muscles to stay upright. If you want to make a good posture a habit, you need to practice it consistently to form a consistent approach. Here are a few ways to teach you how to "sit" correctly.

1. Determine the position of the hip and knee joints

Sit in a chair and start to find a good sitting posture by establishing the position of the lower body. The knee joint and hip joint should be at a 90-degree right angle. If your chair allows it, you can adjust the seat height according to your needs until the joints are at a right angle. Your feet should be flat on the floor. If your feet can't touch the ground, try using a footstool or placing a book under your feet.

2. Keep the body directly above the sit bones

When you sit, the weight of the body is transferred from the pelvis to the chair. The ischium are two multi-jointed bones located at the bottom of the pelvis. Please note that the posture of the body will be different if your weight is shifted to the front of the sit bones, behind the sit bones, or directly above them.

If your center of gravity is forward, your lower back may arch, which tightens the muscles. And when the center of gravity is back, you may slide down from the seat. An arched lower back can cause pain, strain, or disc damage. To get the position directly above your sit bones, you can gently rock your upper body back and forth, pausing in the middle of your sit bones, at the end of the two bones.

3. Maintain the spine curve

Most people have a slight spine curve in their backs. The curve of the spine in certain areas of the back helps maintain an upward posture. You can use your hand to measure the distance between your back and the back of the chair. When you find that your back is arched, a problem arises. This can cause muscle strain or cramping.

If you arch your back too much, try to lower your pelvis as far as possible into a neutral position so that you are pointing directly over your sit bones. If you can't hold on, you may need a lumbar cushion. Place the lumbar cushion between your lower back and the back of the chair so that your normal spine curve can still be maintained when your muscles are weak or tired.

4. Take a deep breath

The main respiratory muscle is the diaphragm. When you breathe in, your diaphragm moves down your body, causing your lungs to expand and take in air. As the diaphragm moves vertically, it helps increase intra-abdominal pressure, which also helps the body maintain an upward posture. A breathing technique called abdominal breathing (or belly breathing) can help your muscles work at their best. This will push the air all the way down your body rather than letting it sit in the chest area.

5. Check your shoulders

Are your shoulders higher than your ears? Are your trapezius muscles sore? Most people automatically tighten their shoulders. Now let your shoulders relax and drop. Lowering your shoulder blades can help your head and neck, and may even prevent muscle cramping. If your shoulder blades are in front of your hips, move your body back. A vertical line should form between your shoulders and hips.

6. Turn your head back

Most people seem to forget that the head and spine are connected. You can see a hunched-over person with their upper body and head forward too far ahead of the rest of the body. Proper sitting posture removes tension from your shoulders, so try to keep your head back. Ideally, your ears should be aligned with your shoulders. However, depending on each person's situation, this may be difficult to do. It’s okay, you don’t have to force yourself to do it. As long as you try to move your head back within the scope of controlling pain or illness and make appropriate incremental changes, you will gradually develop towards a balanced sitting posture.

7. Practice the steps for good sitting posture from time to time.

Please remember that a good posture becomes a good habit, and habits develop over time. Therefore, please always use the above methods to practice correct sitting posture.

Tips: 1. Your sitting posture will change depending on the surface of the object you are sitting on. If your chair is cushioned, you may not be able to feel the correct position of your sit bones very well, whereas if you sit on something harder, the feeling will be different.

2. When working, choose a chair that is not dented or skewed. A sunken chair will only make your back lower, making it difficult to have a good sitting posture. And a skewed chair puts you at a weird angle, misleading your sitting posture.

3. If your chair back is not level, try to sit as close to the edge as possible. Please ensure that all four legs of the chair are on the ground to avoid unnecessary injuries. In most cases, sitting on the edge of a chair gives you plenty of room for your sit bones. Sitting close to the edge of the chair can provide a stable "platform" for the body to maintain balance and "serve" good sitting posture.