WHY IS POSTURE SO IMPORTANT?
It gets a little annoying. Everyone banging on about posture – and the importance of posture.
Posture is the concern of the mobile. Right?
Wrong!
Posture is possibly even more important for someone who is chair-bound or mobility restricted than for someone without any impediments.
Why?
Because posture at its heart is about ensuring your body is as supported as it can be. That your chair, or any chair you spend a considerable amount of time in, is correctly set up to support you.
Why is correct support important?
Because when a body is correctly supported, it is naturally aligned. That means pressure is evenly distributed throughout the body, with less likelihood of injury and pressure sores. Rewarding you with increased comfort.
Why is correct support important? Because when a body is correctly supported, the body naturally aligns. That means pressure is evenly distributed throughout the body, with less likelihood of injury and pressure sores. Rewarding you with increased comfor
Once posture is addressed, and the body in a position of maximum possible support, additional comfort aids can be added, with maximum benefit. When the rules of posture are respected, everything else naturally falls into place – and comfort is the reward.
THE RULES OF COMFORT
Good posture should not require effort on your part. It is largely determined by the setup and proportions of your chair, relative to your body’s proportions.
There are 5 principles at play:
1. Your chair needs to support your bodies natural alignment
2. Support should focus on stabilising the ‘S’ curves of your spine
3. Good posture and support starts with your feet
4. Naturally resting arms, are indicative of a body at rest
5. If your head is supported and centered, your spine is aligned
1. Support your bodies natural alignment
A chair that is correctly set up for you naturally supports and aligns your body.
That means every part of your body is in the correct position in relation to the next part, from your head down to your feet. When that happens, you experience less physical stress, and enjoy maximum comfort, while reducing the risk of injury or pressure buildup.
2. Stabilise the ‘S’ curves of your spine
If your chair is correctly aligned to your body’s proportions, you should be able to sit upright, with your shoulders back and relaxed.
Your spine has 3 natural curves that provide the most stable position for your back. These curves when not properly supported, cause the body to compensate and slump. Insufficient support, or support in the wrong places, from pillows, etc., force the body to assume abnormal positions, with resultant long-term damage.
3. Support your feet
When seated, your feet support 19% of your body’s weight and stabilise your pelvis. For that to happen, your feet need to be flat, resting on the footrests, knees aligned with the hips, and feet at the correct angle. When your feet rest correctly, your body is in alignment.
4. Support your arms
Your armrests should allow your arms to literally rest on the arm support without raising or lowering your shoulders, maintaining the natural curves of your neck. Your arms position, directly impact your shoulders, your neck, and the upper curve of your spine.
5. Centralise your head
Your head should be upright, in the middle, with your chin slightly tucked, enabling you to easily turn your head and look in all directions. If your body is not supported or aligned correctly, your head will tilt forward, backward, or to one side, pulling your spine out of alignment and causing discomfort.
So, there you have it. Quite simply, if your chair is set up to enable your feet, arms, spine, head, and neck to naturally align, then the risk of injury, pressure sores, and discomfort is substantially reduced.
So, how do you ensure your chair is correctly set up to facilitate correct posture? Read more.