For the office crowd, to say "not knowing how to sit" is almost laughable. But in fact, not everyone can master the subtleties of sitting posture. Here are four unhealthy sitting postures that could make you sick:
1. Crossing legs leads to sickness
Long-term continuous sitting, especially with legs crossed, will cause continuous strain on the neck and back, making the back muscles and ligaments overstretched for a long time and thus damaged, which may lead to unexplained lower back pain. However, as long as a good sitting posture is maintained, after a period of time, it will return to normal without any problems. Moreover, sitting for a long time with legs crossed, due to mutual compression of the legs, will hinder leg blood circulation. Over time, this will cause leg varicose veins, and in severe cases, poor blood return, prominent blue veins, ulcers, phlebitis, bleeding, and prostate diseases.
The correct chair action is:
Firstly, avoid sitting in one posture for a long time unchanged, but instead constantly change between 2-3 safe sitting postures.
Secondly, when bending over to pick up objects while seated, first move your buttocks forward to the edge of the chair, move one foot forward, support one hand on the table, then bend over.
Thirdly, when turning around to grab something, the entire body should rotate together.
Fourthly, when talking on the phone, never hold the receiver between your head and shoulder; instead, support the elbow of the arm holding the receiver on the table to keep the head and neck in a neutral, relaxed position.
2. Comfortable sitting posture isn't necessarily good
A sitting posture that feels comfortable to oneself isn't necessarily a good sitting posture. The correct sitting posture should be upright upper body, tightened abdomen, slightly tucked chin, and legs together. If possible, the knee joint should be slightly higher than the hip joint. If sitting on a chair with a backrest, then based on the above posture, try to tightly press the waist and back against the backrest so that the lumbar sacral muscles won't get tired. After prolonged sitting, relax the leg muscles. In addition, patients with herniated lumbar intervertebral discs should not sit on stools lower than 20 cm, but rather on chairs with backrests, which can bear part of the body weight and reduce lumbar fatigue.
3. Computer operation triggers cervical spondylosis
The root cause of cervical spondylosis is the degenerative changes in the cervical intervertebral disc, leading to loosening of the intervertebral disc, followed by compression of the nerve roots, spinal cord, or vertebral artery, causing various symptoms. Long-term bad sitting posture or staying in front of the computer for a long time easily causes fatigue of the neck muscles, leading to neck and shoulder pain, neck muscle spasm, or even dizziness. Over time, it will inevitably lead to premature degenerative changes in the cervical intervertebral disc in adulthood, resulting in cervical spondylosis.
For the correct sitting posture during computer operation, ensure that the entire sole of the foot is on the ground while sitting. Use an adjustable workbench or chair that allows your feet to rest stably on the ground, or use a footrest. If using a footrest, ensure that it has enough width to allow the legs to move freely within the workspace. Stretch the legs frequently and change the position of the legs. Stand up and walk away from the workbench often, and frequently change the position of the legs to relax the whole body. Pay attention not to place boxes or other items under the table, as this will limit the activity space of the legs.
4. Prolonged sitting discomfort leads to urinary retention
It is a common understanding among many people that patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) should not sit for a long time. However, the sitting posture of BPH patients also matters. When a person sits normally and upright, the center of gravity naturally falls on the position of the prostate. Sitting for a long time, the enlarged prostate will inevitably bear the pressure of body weight, thus inevitably causing the enlarged prostate to expand towards the urethra and compress the urethra. In severe cases, it will cause difficulty in urination or even urinary retention. If BPH patients consciously shift their center of gravity to the left buttock or right buttock (the left and right buttocks can be appropriately alternated) while sitting daily, it can avoid direct compression of the enlarged prostate by body weight, thereby avoiding or reducing the compression of the enlarged prostate on the urethra. Long-term use of this method can have unexpected protective effects on the enlarged prostate. If the above situation occurs, please go to a regular male urology hospital immediately for examination and treatment to prevent the condition from worsening.