The Perfect Working Desk Posture

The perfect working desk posture is something that every worker in the world is trying to obtain. But what is it, exactly? Is it the classic seated position with hips, knees, and elbows all bent to a perfect 90 degrees? Or is it converting your desk to a standing workstation, because standing has just got to be better than sitting, right? There is a growing sentiment amongst workers and non-workers alike that the "perfect posture" must be obtained to eliminate pain and discomfort. Furthermore, the phrase that "sitting is the new smoking" promoted by media outlets and fear-based advertising has effectively scared people from assuming comfortable sitting positions and popularized the use of standing workstations. We're going to put that notion that sitting is the new smoking to rest and show you what the actual perfect working desk posture looks like!

Sitting Is NOT The New Smoking

Demonizing sitting as the new smoking would be completely incorrect. It's like saying that laying down is bad for you! These notions have come from well-meaning research publications, like this meta-analysis by Rezende et al 2014, which found that sedentary behaviors are associated with an increased risk of mortality causing diseases like diabetes. The key point in their conclusion is that sedentary behavior was associated with this risk - not necessarily sitting. Sedentary behavior could be sitting in the perfect working desk posture for 8 hours a day, without moving at all in front of a computer screen; however, it's important to differentiate the term sitting and sedentary, as they are not the same.

Working for an entire day in a seated position, but taking constant movement breaks, is enough to reverse the potentially harmful physiological effects of sedentary behavior. In a 2014 study by Dempsey et al, they found that prolonged sitting results in the elevation of blood pressure in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. However, when they interrupted this prolonged sitting every 30 minutes with 3 minutes of light resistance exercise, they found that it resulted in a decrease in elevated blood pressure! Thus, taking breaks from sitting effectively breaks up sedentary behaviors!

Do You Need A Program Dedicated To Improve Your Posture?

Many people around the world are moving less and are sitting more now than ever before. Your best posture is your next posture, and we have the perfect plan designed to help improve your posture! Learn more HERE.

Sit To Stand Desks Work, But How?

Sit to stand desks have been all the rage lately in the workplace to combat the "pandemic of sitting." But what is it, exactly, that makes them so beneficial? Is it just the fact that they allow you to stand? Just as we discussed that sitting all day, even the perfect working desk posture, counts as sedentary behavior...so does standing for 8 hours a day! A 2018 study by Baker et al suggested that prolonged standing may be associated with venous insufficiency, atherosclerotic progression, as well as back and lower limb discomfort. Furthermore, it reported that bouts > 2 hours of uninterrupted standing resulted in decreased cognition. I don't think these findings are all that alarming, considering that being on your feet all day would surely cause your feet to be a little sore!

READ: Improve Postural Pain

Like with everything else regarding the human body, optimal dosing is key. Too much of anything, even something good, could be a bad thing!

Sit to stand desks have been shown to be effective in decreasing discomfort in office workers not because they just simply allow you to stand, but because they encourage movement. When you're standing, you naturally shift your weight from one leg to the other. I personally like to use a stool under my sit to stand desk to place my foot. This not only allows me to shift weight from one leg to the other but also encourages movement in my hips to flex and the associated posterior pelvic tilt and slight lumbar flexion that comes with that movement!

Sit to stand desks, like the SmartDesk2 from Autonomous AI and UPLIFT V2 that we have, not only gives us more movement options in a standing position but also allows us to constantly switch between a sitting and standing position throughout the workday. With sitting OR standing, we can let our bodies go into whatever posture or position it feels like! That could be your classic "bad posture" or your "perfect posture", it doesn't matter as the perfect working desk posture is the one that keeps you moving!

Movement Exercise Breaks

Seated Cat Cow

Sample Mid Back Posture Program Exercise Video

HOW: Get set up seated upright with your hands supported on your thighs. Begin the exercise by rounding your upper body and head/neck forward, letting your spine bend forward as your hands slide down your thighs. Reverse the motion to sit upright nice and tall and let your back/spine arch and extend. Repeat

FEEL: This should feel like a global stretch to your upper/lower and mid back, depending how far you move. As you round, you should feel a stretch in your back, as you arch and squeeze your shoulder blades back, you may feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders. This should feel like a gentle motion that you’re in control of.

COMPENSATION: Limit movement to your upper body, and keep your lower body still.

Is Sitting The New Smoking? The Perfect Working Desk Posture | Episode 12

Exercise 01 of 01

Exercise demonstration

Seated Thoracic Spine Mobility Drills

View exercise instructions

Seated Thoracic Spine Mobility Drills.Some say “Sitting is the new smoking.” This statement may be aggressive and on the extreme end. The truth is your body will adapt to what you put it through, if you sit for 40 hours per week, you will become very good at sitting, which often comes with stiff hamstring/hip flexors/thoracic spine, and poor core function. The problem is NOT sitting itself, the problem is being in ONE position for a prolonged time. More importantly than sitting in what we consider “optimal position” the key is to constantly changing up the stimulus and change your position. Here are 2 stretches you can do to keep your upper body moving..Exercise one:-Find and object to hinge your thoracic spine over.-Perform 5 rep’s over 3 different areas moving from bottom to top.-Make sure you keep your core engaged/Ribs down to avoid extension of the thoracic spine, the purpose here is to mobilize your thoracic spine.Exercise two:-Stabilize your arm on the inside of one leg and rotate open towards the opposite side as far as your can.-Perform 5 rep’s to each side.This very easy to perform stretch to keep your mid-back mobile taking no longer than 2 minutes total. It allows you to MAXIMIZE the opening of your facet joints in your thoracic spine. You may hear a crack noise, but no worries! That is called a “cavitation” and is completely fine..Focus on your BREATH during this exercise. Your ribs attach to your thoracic spine, so thoracic rotation is dependent on rib mobility. If you hold your breath, you will limit your rib mobility. Take a deep breath prior to side bending and rotating, then exhale through the movement..Note: We would recommend to take a break from sitting at minimum every hour from sitting to go for a quick walk.

Dynamic Hip Flexor Stretch

Sample Posture Mid Back Program Exercise Video

Get set-up standing with a box or object in front of you that you can put one foot upon. The side that remains down on the ground is the one getting the stretch. Put one foot up, perform a posterior pelvic tilt, and shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch. Hold that position for a moment, back out of it and then repeat to make it dynamic

LISTEN: HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR POSTURAL HABITS

Closing Thoughts

Your best working desk posture is your next posture, so keep moving!!

Posture Exercises To Maximize Your Mobility At Your Fingertips!

When we think of the thoracic spine one word comes to mind; neglect. Thank you for striving to replace that word by completing this program! The thoracic spine is structurally designed to allow mobility to happen. If this area becomes neglected, the lower back and shoulders can become angry neighbors. The solution becomes restoring peace in the neighborhood by owning thoracic mobility. The block party is 8 weeks away and you are hosting the thoracic spine, get ready to impress your neighbors!

REFERENCES

Baker, Richelle, et al. “A Detailed Description of the Short-Term Musculoskeletal and Cognitive Effects of Prolonged Standing for Office Computer Work.” Ergonomics, vol. 61, no. 7, 2018, pp. 877–890., doi:10.1080/00140139.2017.1420825.
Chambers, April J., et al. “The Effect of Sit-Stand Desks on Office Worker Behavioral and Health Outcomes: A Scoping Review.” Applied Ergonomics, vol. 78, 2019, pp. 37–53., doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2019.01.015.
Dempsey, Paddy C., et al. “Interrupting Prolonged Sitting with Brief Bouts of Light Walking or Simple Resistance Activities Reduces Resting Blood Pressure and Plasma Noradrenaline in Type 2 Diabetes.” Journal of Hypertension, vol. 34, no. 12, 2016, pp. 2376–2382., doi:10.1097/hjh.0000000000001101.
Mula, Allison. “Ergonomics and the Standing Desk.” Work, 2018, pp. 1–4., doi:10.3233/wor-2736.
Rezende, Leandro Fornias Machado De, et al. “Sedentary Behavior and Health Outcomes: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.” PLoS ONE, vol. 9, no. 8, 2014, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105620.

About The Author

Michael Lau, PT, DPT, CSCS

[P]rehab Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer

michael lau the prehab guys Michael was born and raised in Northern California but now currently resides in Sunny SoCal ever since attending the University of California, Los Angeles as an undergraduate majoring in physiology. After his undergraduate studies, he received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from cross-town rival the University of Southern California. As a licensed physical therapist with a strong background in strength and conditioning, Michael likes to blend the realms of strength training and rehabilitation to provide prehab, or preventative rehabilitation, to his patients. A common human behavior is to address problems after they become an issue and far often too late, which is a reactionary approach. He believes the key to improved health care is education and awareness. This proactive approach-prehab-can reduce the risk of injuries and pain in the first place. He is a huge proponent of movement education and pain science. Clinically, he has a special interest in ACLR rehab and return to sport for the lower extremity athlete.