Sitting straight 'bad for backs'

**Justin** · 07-02-2010, 07:24 PM

Sitting straight 'bad for backs'
Sitting up straight is not the best position for office workers, a study has suggested.

Story from BBC NEWS: BBC News - Sitting straight 'bad for backs'. Published: 2006/11/28 00:46:56 GMT © BBC MMX

Scottish and Canadian researchers used a new form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to show it places an unnecessary strain on your back. They told the Radiological Society of North America that the best position in which to sit at your desk is leaning back, at about 135 degrees. Experts said sitting was known to contribute to lower back pain. Data from the British Chiropractic Association says 32% of the population spends more than 10 hours a day seated. Half do not leave their desks, even to have lunch. Two thirds of people also sit down at home when they get home from work.

Spinal angles

The research was carried out at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen. Twenty two volunteers with healthy backs were scanned using a positional MRI machine, which allows patients the freedom to move - so they can sit or stand - during the test.

“ Our bodies are not designed to be so sedentary,” Rishi Loatey, British Chiropractic Association

Traditional scanners mean patients have to lie flat, which may mask causes of pain that stem from different movements or postures. In this study, the patients assumed three different sitting positions: a slouching position, in which the body is hunched forward as if they were leaning over a desk or a video game console, an upright 90-degree sitting position; and a "relaxed" position where they leaned back at 135 degrees while their feet remained on the floor.

The researchers then took measurements of spinal angles and spinal disk height and movement across the different positions.

Spinal disk movement occurs when weight-bearing strain is placed on the spine, causing the disk to move out of place. Disk movement was found to be most pronounced with a 90-degree upright sitting posture. It was least pronounced with the 135-degree posture, suggesting less strain is placed on the spinal disks and associated muscles and tendons in a more relaxed sitting position. The "slouch" position revealed a reduction in spinal disk height, signifying a high rate of wear and tear on the lowest two spinal levels. When they looked at all test results, the researchers said the 135-degree position was the best for backs, and say this is how people should sit.

'Tendency to slide'

Dr Waseem Bashir of the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada, who led the study, said: "Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness." Rishi Loatey of the British Chiropractic Association said: "One in three people suffer from lower back pain and to sit for long periods of time certainly contributes to this, as our bodies are not designed to be so sedentary." Levent Caglar from the charity BackCare, added: "In general, opening up the angle between the trunk and the thighs in a seated posture is a good idea and it will improve the shape of the spine, making it more like the natural S-shape in a standing posture. "As to what is the best angle between thigh and torso when seated, reclining at 135 degrees can make sitting more difficult as there is a tendency to slide off the seat: 120 degrees or less may be better."

**KBear** · 07-02-2010, 11:42 PM

And I have just now (2 years later) adjusted to driving with my seat at a 90 degree angle. Guess I can go back to my old sloucher ways.

**Greg** · 07-03-2010, 03:52 AM

Well I am glad they did that study.....cause I sure hit sitting straight up as it doesnt feel good, comfortable or natural. But I didn think my slouchig back was a good thing either.....oh well!

**Cindylou** · 07-03-2010, 08:23 AM

I know I have seen and read something like this before, maybe even a year ago or so....that the 90 degree angle is not ideal for sitting and a little slouching is good. This has always made more sense to me. What I need work on is getting my core stronger so I'm not making my legs and spine do all the work. That's the bigger solution all the way around I think. Can I just say this: man, at 57 years old it's no easy feat to make that happen!

**Gilbert P** · 07-03-2010, 12:55 PM

Well this is something I have always had trouble doing.
Sitting straight was a good thing in catholic school, If you slouched it was a yard stick across the knuckles

My truck seat is reclined and the heat is on

Gil

**KBear** · 07-04-2010, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Gilbert P

Well this is something I have always had trouble doing.
Sitting straight was a good thing in catholic school, If you slouched it was a yard stick across the knuckles

My truck seat is reclined and the heat is on

Gil

You too? I remember hiding in the handicap stall, sitting on the bars on one side with my feet on the other side, so the nuns wouldn't find me and make me go to church. They caught on and would pull your ear to get you out of there...owwww.

**Greg** · 07-04-2010, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by KBear

You too? I remember hiding in the handicap stall, sitting on the bars on one side with my feet on the other side, so the nuns wouldn't find me and make me go to church. They caught on and would pull your ear to get you out of there...owwww.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

....well sort of! I went to Catholic School when I lived in Philly but when we moved to NC after second grade we no longer went to Catholic School. Mom worked at the school in Philly so that mde it much more affordable to us kids to go to school. She got a job at the Caholic School in NC (30 miles from house verus 1/2 a mile) but the only discount on tuition was one kid free, the rest of us full price.....well we had 4 kids in school in our family at that time so it was't gonna happen.

But the biggest part where I didn't luck out so much is when your own mother is the one disciplining you at school.....well lets just say the other kids had it easier

There was one thing I hated more than anything about my mom being an assistant teacher at the school in Philly; around 10am everyday the assistant teacher (my mother) collected a quarter from any student who wanted a fresh soft Philadelphia pretzel.....YUMMMMM!!!!! And we were broke as hell so I didn't have any money and rarely ever did she give me a quarter for a pretzel.....A QUARTER And who would have noticed one lousy quarter missing from the jar? I mean come on, give your son a quarter for a pretzel

Thank god for dads who would hook it up with the quarters

**JK2234** · 07-04-2010, 02:51 PM

good info...:thumpup:

**KanRunMo** · 07-04-2010, 03:42 PM

OK. Either the slouchers are wrong or I didn't read this right. Isn't 135 degrees leaning a little further back than straight? Or does it mean leaning forward? However, CL is right in that strengthening the core for back support is the most important according to PTs.

**KBear** · 07-04-2010, 05:15 PM

I was asking the same thing about 135, but then I was thinking 180 would be lying flat, and 90 is straight up and down, so 135 is half way between the two (which seems like some pretty extreme slouching). I don't like to sit too slouched, not comfortable, especially driving at that angle, I would feel like I was laying down, but a little is nice. I did notice yesterday on my 4.5 hr drive home that I felt better sitting at the 90 degree angle. Not sure if this is because I am used to it now, or because that keeps the lumbar support in the right place with the most pressure.