Monmouth County's Ask the Doctor Sept/Oct

How to sit well According to Jenn Sherer, a movement expert who teaches a postural program called “spinefulness,” the key to sitting up straight is po- sitioning your pelvis correctly in your chair. Office workers usually tuck their pelvis when they sit down, which curls the back into the shape of the letter C. Instead, Sherer advises people to untuck their tailbones by hinging forward from the hips before sitting down. Here’s how to do it: 1. Stand in front of your chair with your feet hip-width apart. 2. Hinge forward from the hips (not the waist) until you feel your hamstrings (the muscles on the back of the thighs) stretch. Your bottom will be sticking out behind you. 3. Tip backward into your chair, maintaining the hinge in your hips as you do. 4. Relax your back and chest. Voila, you’re sitting up straight with a relaxed upper body. If you notice yourself slumping later, don’t arch your back and suck in your belly. Instead, stand up and repeat the above process. There aren’t many scientific studies on which posture is best, so Sherer draws on anthropological data. She adapted her method from teachings by Noelle Perez Christiaens, a French yoga teacher who has traveled around the world to study how people in diverse cultures sit, stand, and walk into old age without pain. Wearable devices are an increasingly popular way to improve posture. They can’t teach you the fundamentals of sitting well, but they may be helpful training tools as long as they don’t encourage you to arch your back or suck in your stomach. Look for a device such as Lumo Lift that allows you to set your own target posture and alerts you when you deviate from it. Sit and be fit Now that you know how to sit up straight in a relaxed way, you may be tempted to keep that pose for several hours. Don’t do it! Moving around frequently throughout the day is the best way to maintain health and mobility and prevent musculoskeletal pain. In one study, computer workers who took breaks every 20 minutes reported the least discomfort from sitting all day, compared to work- ers who took breaks every 40 minutes or who took no breaks at all. In another study, people who took at least one break in the morning had fewer headaches and less back pain and eye strain than those who didn’t. While on a break, walk around and gently stretch muscles that tighten when you’re sitting, such as the neck, chest, shoulders, hip flexors, and hamstrings. If you sit all day at work, make an effort to increase your activity levels when you’re not at work. Walking, climbing, yoga, qigong, Tai chi, dance, swimming, and other full-body activities help keep the muscles, joints, and connective tissue strong, flexible, and mobile. Conclusion

You already know it makes a difference when you sit up straight. Slouch for a few minutes during your next staff meeting and then sit upright, and you’ll immediately feel the difference in your mood and con- fidence. It’s not your imagination. The way you move changes the way you feel. A re- cent analysis of 55 studies suggests people who sit and stand in powerful postures feel more powerful. Changing how you sit requires mindful- ness, and you may need to be patient with yourself. Research suggests it takes an av- erage of 66 days to change a habit. But it’s worth it. As your posture improves, you may also notice improvements in your health, confidence, and general well-be- ing. https://www.quill.com/blog/lifestyle/ why-posture-matters.html

www.GuntherPublications.com

Publishing Enterprises, Inc. GUNTHER

9