Best Sitting Posture for Low Back Pain
if you're too cheap to buy a new chair
With sitting, two things can be true at the same time
Sitting is not bad for you
AND
You sit too much
5 Ways to sit for less back pain
We will cover the best sitting postures below. Click each to go directly to the instructions.
Sit with your hips higher than your knees
Use an exercise ball
Kneeling variations
Sit less
Standing
#1 Sit with your hips higher than your knees
Gives instant relief
Opens the hips to reduce back pain
The biggest AND easiest adjustment you can make right now
Expensive chairs do this by tilting back, which also opens up the hip angle. This moves you farther away from your desk, so you have to slide closer. Sitting higher solves that problem. This makes sitting more comfortable, but don’t use that as an excuse to sit longer.
#2 Sit on an exercise ball
Decreases pain similar to #1
Postural muscles have to “work” so better circulation
Use a bigger ball (> 55cm) since body weight crushed the ball down
I discovered this on accident while studying during physical therapy school. I got a new desk but did not own a chair. Never really thought about it until I sat in a regular chair and my back pain was worse. I have some chronic back pain from my military days so this was a fortunate discovery.
The ball should be 1) durable and 2) larger than 55cm since it’ll compress when you sit on it.
Bonus Tip – Saddle sitting posture
They make chairs like this but you can straddle sit on a ball and get the same postural benefits for your low back pain.
#3 Kneeling Variations
Perfect if you can’t adjust desk height (yes these people exist)
Changes your sitting posture
May need a cushion for your knees
Switch between all 3 variations if possible
Since sitting is sooooo bad (it’s not, being in one position too long is usually the culprit), just make sitting not sitting and you solve the problem.
You’ve tricked your brain into thinking you aren’t sitting (tall kneeling), or only half of you is (half kneeling). Short kneeling is a great ankle stretch.
Bonus Tip: flex your glutes 3 sets 30s in tall and half kneeling positions so your glutes don’t “forget” how to work (they won’t). Do reps of going from short to tall kneeing to work that posterior chain.
#4 Sit less
Mind blowing, right?
Use a timer and stick to the schedule
May have to start with 10-15 minutes depending on pain level
get some fresh air, go walk some stairs, whatever it takes
Sitting less sounds obvious but people just forget. Often times people won’t do something because they are overwhelmed with the choices.
#5 Standing
Obvious and popular. Important to note I’ve had several patients that stand all day. Guess what they report? You guessed it, back pain.
Sitting makes them feel better.
Like I stated before it’s not the posture that causes back pain, its the duration. You could be standing with perfect posture (doesn’t exists) and still report back pain.
A standing desk is a great option obviously. Unfortunately I’ve met many people that don’t have the option for a standing desk at work, so that’s why we have the other options.
Bonus tip – propping the foot up when standing can reduce back pain. It’s like standing and sitting at the same time.
Summary
To sum it up
If you sit all the time, stand up
If you stand all the time, sit down
A full body mobility program is usually the best tool to combat the aches and pains of sitting. We have a great one, it’s the most comprehensive you’ll ever see.
You’ll have daily sessions that focus on all the important things that you always complain about when you hurt
neck
upper back
low back
hips
Upgrade to our paid Substack and I’ll email it to you.