Active Sitting: A Moving Approach To Stagnate Sitting
Due to the increased need of working from home, people out of desperation have thrown together crazy work setups😖 I’ve seen such dangerous risk factors from this! I've changed the trajectory of my practice to be of more assistance in these situations.
In this space my goals are to:
To give my professional therapeutic input regarding creating a healthier workspace.
Provide recommendations on things I commonly see that can be detrimental to your posture and overall well-being
Explore wellness tips and other fun topics.
In this blog, let's consider active sitting:
Static sitting, just sitting in space without movement is not good for the human condition. To quote: Peter Gibbons: from the classic film Office Space,”Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day...”
Ergonomics is “the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment.” It is not being a robot or trapping oneself in a prison of ill designed work spaces that create poor habits and postures. There are many ways to help yourself. Changes to one’s setup or environment are profound.
In the case of stagnant postures, I propose using an active stool as a way one can sit more interactively. Now this is not an option for everyone as we all have our own unique needs and conditions. Therefore, it is good to review if this is the right option for you.
Why an “active” chair you may ask? For starters it is difficult to slump on an active stool and it engages your muscles while sitting. I have never really been a proponent of what I call “lounge sitting” which I see as cutting off movement and shortening muscles in general. They say sitting is the new smoking, for the sake of time we will explore this more another day. Sitting disease is the burden of the ages for modern humans!
I recommend breaking up sitting throughout the day. It is good to stand a bit, sit a little, and learn to fidget. Get up and move! In my own home office, I have a standing desk, active stool, therapy ball, and varied arrangements to position while working. Plus our critters keep us moving with their antics. We are the creators of our environment and can take steps to modify our workspace. That being said, here are a few active sitting suggestions. In a future post, I will recommend movements with them so stay tuned.
These are 2 good active sitting stools many patients have found success with. These are great for desktop use or laptop setups with raised screens. They are also helpful when one works sitting or standing. It’s also varied projects like sewing where you need your hands and legs unencumbered. It also gives the lower body nice movement and engages the hips and legs.
Crescent 🌙 seat
Or Adjustable sit/stand stool
Folks often ask me about using therapy balls for chairs. These are great options if you use them correctly. For many people this isn’t the best choice for you all day. It’s best to break up your activities and have varied options. You can get up and stretch with them and actively sit engaging the core and back extensors. More on this is the future and “ergonomic chairs...”
Here are a few::
Swanky washable option:
Starfish seating ⭐️
Or a simple therapy ball
A reminder that I do individual one-on-one ergonomic consultations. These can easily be done online through my HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.
Please contact me if you would like to make an appointment.
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Thank you, David Grover, OTR/L
