DEV Community

Andy Zhao (he/him)
Andy Zhao (he/him)

Posted on

How do you keep good posture while sitting?

I tend to slouch a lot when I sit for long periods at a time. There are several reasons for this, but the main reason I think is that I don't sit in a chair with a back in it.

Anyway, what are some ways that help you keep good posture while sitting?

Top comments (25)

Collapse
 
michaeltharrington profile image
Michael Tharrington

I love my standing desk but before I got one, I had a few things I'd do to keep good posture.

2 tips for sitters:

  1. I had a lumbar support pillow that I put near the bottom of my chair.
  2. Never did this, but I was told to put a tennis ball at the top of my back and sit back so it rest there... if I leaned forward it would drop to show me I'm slouching.
Collapse
 
liana profile image
Liana Felt (she/her) • Edited

I think those back braces do work because it prevents you from slouching. I've used a yoga strap to do the same thing but never have tried for the entire day - seems like it could get annoying. I love sitting on my exercise ball which helps keep better posture too and is super fun.

Theres also these new devices: uprightpose.com that will vibrate when you slouch. I keep getting ads for them but haven't tried them.

Collapse
 
skyandsand profile image
Chris C

I see those crazy ads for that thing you put on your back. Seems odd to me. I think there are some decently priced standing desks if you want that. Sometimes I just need to get up and make sure I'm walking away from my desk at work a couple of times per day, stretch, etc.

Collapse
 
andy profile image
Andy Zhao (he/him)

Hmm might do the yoga strap!

Collapse
 
fdrobidoux profile image
Félix Dion-Robidoux

Lol I'm not gonna pay 80 bucks for a thing I put on my back to tell me to not slouch. I'm getting some Juicero vibes from this product.

Collapse
 
ben profile image
Ben Halpern

Posts like this remind me that I need to think about it 🙃

Collapse
 
joshransley profile image
Josh Ransley

I used to slouch/hunch all the time, walking, sitting, any available opportunity.

A while ago I visited a physiotherapist and they suggested to start small. Find a short interval to practice good posture, like the length of a song if you listen to music while you work. If you notice you've slipped, no worries – try again at the start of the next song.

Build that up over a few years and I get compliments on my posture.

Collapse
 
val_baca profile image
Valentin Baca

Sticky note on the edge of my monitor with "POSTURE!" written on it.

Collapse
 
mikerogers0 profile image
Mike Rogers ✈️

I had really bad posture for years & it got to the point where I had back pain. I started fixing it by:

  1. Investing in a better chair & desk! £120 today is better then a future of pain.
  2. Weights! I got some light weights & strengthened by back! It's s lot easier to keep good posture when the muscles are strong.
  3. Regular breaks where I'd move around.
  4. Switching desk so I'd be in different positions more regularly.
Collapse
 
buphmin profile image
buphmin

I make sure my monitors are so high that I can only look at them properly if my posture is good. Then recently I got this ergonomic mechanical keyboard to help keep my scapula in the proper position by not having to bring my wrists together.

One thing most people neglect is proper exercise. Having adequate strength and flexibility in key muscle groups is very important. Doing exercises (correctly) that strengthen you back, abs, and glutes will really help achieve good posture. You can check out videos by Athlean X for info, that guy really knows his stuff.

Collapse
 
andy profile image
Andy Zhao (he/him)

I have a standing desk, but truth be told I don't use it much... oops. I'll definitely be revisiting it once I have a new setup when I move though.

There's also these back braces / back support things...

Posture Now Back Brace

But they seem pretty gimmicky to me. Although if you've had experience with a thing like this, would love to hear about your experience.

Collapse
 
andy profile image
Andy Zhao (he/him)

Also, I noticed that sitting up straight while eating helps with my digestion!

Collapse
 
denolfe profile image
Elliot DeNolf

A few things to keep in mind that should help you out.

  • Wrists parallel to your desktop
  • Feet flat on the floor, use a footrest or rolled-up towel if needed
  • Adjust monitor height, top of the monitor at eye-level or slightly above. This one will probably help most with slouching
  • Sit/stand desk also helps but not a requirement
Collapse
 
tammalee profile image
Tammy Lee

I don't! :D
My posture when standing is good, however.
Core strength training and yoga help a lot.