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If your job requires you to sit for extended periods, whether at a desk or behind the wheel, you may notice increasing back pain. When sitting, it’s easy for you to fall into poor posture and not realize it until symptoms, like neck or back pain, begin to develop. Alleviate aches and pains and improve your posture by following these four tips when sitting.

How to Correct Posture When Seated

1. Establish the Position of Your Lower Body

While you may not realize it, the way your lower body is positioned when seated sets the foundation for your overall posture. When sitting down, make sure your feet are resting flat on the floor and avoid turning them and resting the outer parts against the ground. Twisting your ankles while sitting can cause your weight to shift forward, leading to back pain.  

2. Pay Attention to Your Pelvis

back pain Platteville, WIWhen you sit down, your body weight is transferred from the pelvis to the chair. Your pelvis has two knobby bones at the bottom, called the ischial tuberosity, or “sitting bones.” To improve your body alignment, you should be sitting right on top of these bones, with the spine remaining straight. If your lower back arches inward or backward, your weight is either too far upfront or too far back.

3. Check Your Lumbar Location

Your spine has a lumbar curve, which is located at the bottom and helps stabilize posture. When sitting upright, there should be a small space between your backrest and the location of your lumbar curve. If there is not, this means you are slouching, which can lead to upper back pain.

4. Relax Your Shoulders

Many people forget your shoulders influence the pressure placed on your spine. To prevent back pain and poor posture, your shoulders should sit directly over your hips. When you hunch your shoulders, it causes your spine to misalign as well, leading to pain in the lumbar curve.

 

If you think your back pain is caused by poor posture, talk with the professionals at Chiropractic Associates of Platteville in Platteville, WI. Whether you’re an athlete or an office worker, their team of chiropractors has the services you need to align your back and relieve pain, ranging from physical therapy to spinal manipulation. To learn more about proper posture from the professionals at Chiropractic Associates of Platteville, visit them online or call (608) 348-3156 today.

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