Today society spends a lot of time working on a desk, which means we spend lot of time sitting on the chair. If you are sitting right now on your chair, just assess the way you are sitting. Check the position of your back and shoulder, terrible for the most populations. Don’t be surprised when you read this ” Your chair is making you dysfunctional”.
If your work demands a lot of sitting, which you have been doing for years and now every time you sit for long hours you are suffering from stiff lower back or stiff neck. Do you know why, because you been sitting on your chair with lumbar spine/ lower back ( which you been told is good for spine or back feels good when you do this ) rested which over the time progresses to round upper back and neck forward? Boooooom!!!! wake up my friend.
It is not uncommon for people to suffer from spine or neck problems repeatedly in their life and can’t figure out why they have such repeat episodes of pain, they start blaming the form of exercise or sports they been doing or the chair they been sitting on.
One more epic situation is when we start investing in the more comfortable and expensive chair ( hmmm, a victim of marketing ). These chairs are promoted stating better lumbar support and more cushion ( emotional selling ). But do you know what it means, it means no core support.
What is the core ??
A core is the abdomen and back muscle. Rectus abdomen, TVA, Oblique, QL, multifidus. these are the set of muscles switched off every time you rest your back on the chair.
Let’s look at the damage that occurs when u sit on your chair. A) loss of lumbar lordosis- spine losing its natural shape. B) Rounded shoulder. C) Swayback posture. D) Kyphosis- rounded upper back. E) Neck forward posture/ tight neck. F) Headache due to poor posture.
If you pay attention to all the above problems, they all are interrelated. One leading to other problems. All this starts with poor core functions. which is the residue of sitting with back support. Our spine and abdomen muscles are designed to support each other, this is where the whole concept of core training comes in the play. A core is trained in a much broader spectrum. Our anterior and posterior core muscles are meant to be in balance for the proper function of the human body. If either one is overactive or underactive we have a problem.
This is where the chair comes into the picture, Every time you sit on a chair with your back rested you are switching off your core muscles. Our Anterior core is meant to fire to support your spine. You can get all kind of medical treatment done, perform all the corrective exercises to fix your postural issue, But unless you fix the core issue you are always treating the pain.
How do we address this issue, Its very simple?. Yes, it is, Correct the way you sit and focus on diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing will activate your core muscles. Switch to standing Desk, Stretch and move your spine every few hours of sitting and train your core. TADA !!!!!!!!!. Isn’t that easy
Initially, it will be difficult and your body is going to resist change but over the period of time you will master it.
” You are going to get what you practise, If you practise shiesse, you are gonna get shiesse. If you practise clean, you are gonna get clean” – Ido Portal
Disclaimer: Images have been downloaded from the internet, I hold no rights to them.
HARISH SHETTY 