| For most of us working at our desks long hours, | | | | The major role of the transverse abdominus is to |
| the comfortable, slouched desk posture is our | | | | keep the relationship of the torso and limbs stable. |
| "home-base": it's the one we always return to. | | | | Whenever you challenge this relationship, you |
| However, while slumping in your chair may feel | | | | automatically engage the transverse abdominus. |
| good at the time, poor office posture actually can | | | | This is the principle behind most chairs that |
| lead to more back pain problems in the long run. | | | | encourage active sitting. Most of these chairs |
| Sitting isn't at all great for your overall posture | | | | have a slightly unstable base, encouraging your |
| and core posture muscles to begin with; studies | | | | torso to constantly move and shift ever so |
| have shown that prolonged sitting--particularly our | | | | slightly. This not only strengthens your core |
| slouched desk posture--may contribute to low | | | | posture support muscles, it also encourages |
| back pain and chronic back problems. | | | | better circulation in the spine, removing waste |
| Whether at a desk working, in a chair eating, or | | | | products and distributing vital nutrients. |
| on the couch watching TV, the majority of our | | | | Conditioning your body to maintain good sitting |
| waking hours are spent sitting. Sure, we may go | | | | posture can not only strengthen your core |
| to the gym every day, but even that is only for | | | | muscles and give you better posture, but actually |
| one or two hours. The majority of our body | | | | alleviate/prevent all sorts of desk posture back |
| conditioning time is spent -- you guessed it -- in a | | | | pain problems. Most of our back pain problems are |
| slouch. | | | | caused by poor desk posture, which compresses |
| Even from an evolutionary stand point, our body | | | | the spine and robs it of nutrients, leading to brittle, |
| isn't really built for sitting. Humans have been | | | | injury-prone vertebral discs. By practicing active |
| around for almost 200,000 years, but chairs have | | | | sitting you can prevent this downward spiral from |
| only been used routinely for the past 500. Our | | | | beginning (or reverse it, if it has already begun.) |
| bodies, at the current state of evolution, are | | | | As mentioned in the beginning of the article, |
| simply not built to sit long hours at a time. | | | | simply training yourself to sit straight upright in |
| To make matters worse, most chairs actually | | | | your chair without back rest is a great way to |
| promote poor desk posture, encouraging | | | | start. Sit at the edge of your chair with your |
| slouching, rounded upper and lower back, as well | | | | thighs parallel to the floor and your feet flat on |
| as forward head posture. Without the knowledge | | | | the floor. If your legs don't naturally align like this, |
| of basic posture support principles and general | | | | you may to sit on a pillow (if your legs are too |
| good seating habits, long hours of poor desk | | | | long) or put a stool or yoga block under your feet |
| posture will only lead to lower back pain and | | | | (f your legs are too small and don't reach the |
| chronic back problems down the road. | | | | floor). In this position, tip your pelvis slightly |
| So what can you do to develop good desk | | | | forward to encourage a gentle curve in your |
| posture and maintain a healthy back? The answer: | | | | lumbar spine, and lengthen through the spine. |
| Active sitting. Active sitting is sitting in a way that | | | | Pretend that you have a book on your head, and |
| engages your body's core musculature. There are | | | | reach the crown of your head towards the ceiling. |
| various Active Sitting aides available in the | | | | This will also bring other important core muscles |
| market, from exercise ball chairs to discs and | | | | into action. As you do this, you will feel your spine |
| pads that can be placed on regular chairs. | | | | lengthen and decompress. Every now and then, |
| However, even sitting up straight on the edge of | | | | sway every so slightly, to keep movement and |
| your regular office chair can be a form of active | | | | flow in the spine and prevent the stagnation and |
| sitting. Basic active sitting devices are useful | | | | compression that otherwise comes from sitting. |
| because their shape allows the hip and pelvis to | | | | It will take you a while to build strong desk |
| move on a multi-axial plane, requiring active work | | | | posture muscles to sit like this throughout the |
| from the muscles surrounding them. While it's not | | | | day. Start out doing it four to five times a day |
| as automatic to achieve this on a regular desk | | | | for as long as is comfortable, and then build up |
| chair (perhaps, in part, due the tempting presence | | | | until you can sit comfortably with a straight back |
| of a back rest), it can be done. | | | | and without back support for most of the day. |
| The most important element of active sitting is | | | | Remember that practicing proper desk posture is |
| the engagement of the deepest abdominal | | | | even more important for your core muscles and |
| muscles, the transverse abdominus, which is one | | | | back than making a trip to the gym each day. |
| of the key posture support muscles. Unlike the | | | | After all, one hour of body conditioning at the |
| rectus abdominis (the most famous abdominal | | | | gym is easily outweighed by eight hours of body |
| muscle, responsible for that coveted six-pack | | | | conditioning slouched in front of the computer. If |
| look), the transverse abdominus cannot be seen | | | | you do practice active sitting at work, you are |
| or touched. It is deep within the abdomen, | | | | not only doing your back a huge favor, but you're |
| wrapped around the torso like a supportive girdle. | | | | actually getting paid to "get fit while you sit! |