Ergonomic Seating

Hip and Pelvic Alignment

A surprising amount of back pain is due to strain in your hips and pelvis. Ergonomic chairs let you adjust the height of the seat. You should be able to sit with your knees comfortably in front of your seat, your feet flat on the floor, and your hips and knees, each around 90 degrees.

The tilt of your pelvis can be even more critical than spinal alignment. Your pelvic bones have structures on the front and the back known as the ASIS (front) and the PSIS (back). The ASIS and PSIS should be level when you are sitting. When they are, your back should be naturally arched. There are also bones called the ischial tuberosities at the bottom of the pelvis. They are the bones that contact a surface when you sit down. They are meant to be weight-bearing when humans sit.

If you sit with your pelvis tilted backward, the PSIS is lower than the ASIS. That shifts what part of the body bears weight. Instead of the ischial tuberosities, your sacrum bears the weight of your seated body. That causes changes in your spine, as well. The backward tilt of the pelvis causes your lumbar spine region to flex. That can lead to lower back pain from strain on ligaments and muscles and pressure on the discs in your lower spine.

An ergonomic chair correctly supports your pelvis. It can help prevent you from sitting with a backward tilt. That makes sitting more comfortable and helps reduce pressure and strain on your lower spine.

Support the Head

Have you heard that the human head weighs as much as a bowling ball? Your spine is designed to hold up that weight as long as it is positioned on the top of the spine. However, if you slouch, your head pulls on your spine. Your shoulders roll forward when you slouch, and your neck muscles strain, impacting muscles throughout your back, down through your arms, and even up through your jaws. Slouching can lead to muscle strain and increase your risk of repetitive use injuries and headaches.

People slouch for several reasons. Good posture is a habit that not everyone has. It takes a solid core to maintain proper posture. So, someone with a weak core is more likely to strike. Other factors influencing whether you slouch include obesity, limited hip flexion motion, and even tight hamstrings. Even a great ergonomic chair cannot fix those issues.

However, a great office chair can keep from exacerbating your existing issues. They can ensure that you are seated appropriately, which reduces the temptation to slouch. They support your spine and head in the appropriate positions. Combining them with a well-designed desk layout can help prevent slouching and forward head posture.

Why is that important? If you have a consistent forward head posture, it changes the way your body appears and functions. You may have heard it called upper cross syndrome. Upper cross syndrome is a muscle imbalance. Upper back and neck muscles get longer and weaker, while chest and neck muscles get shorter and tighter. The more you sit in a head-forward posture, the more likely you will develop upper cross syndrome. Plus, the worse your upper cross syndrome gets, the more your body is forced into a head-forward position.

This creates a situation where poor posture begets further postural decline, putting even more stress on your spine and neck. To counteract these effects, incorporating targeted exercises to strengthen your core and upper back muscles can be essential, alongside the support from an ergonomic office setup.