Slouching: a comfortable way to sit, but dangerous without you realising

If you are sitting down right now, notice whether your weight is spread evenly over both buttocks or whether you are slouching. How can this comfortable sitting position be harmful? Rehab Care Clinic has the answer.

Anatomically, the buttock muscles are the largest and strongest muscles in the body and act as the weight-bearers when sitting. But if you sit incorrectly, that is, not fully on your bottom, with your lower back away from the backrest and your body leaning back, the small muscles around the spine bear your body weight instead of the buttock muscles, causing them to tense up. In addition, the spine, which is not meant to bear this load, becomes compressed and the spinal discs bear too much weight. This is what causes back muscle pain and disc inflammation.

Correct sitting posture to prevent injury to the back muscles and spinal discs

1. Sit upright with your bottom against the backrest of the chair.

2. Place a small cushion behind your lower back so that your back muscles can relax and do not tense up.

3. Lean back and let the backrest support your back.

4. Distribute your weight evenly over both buttocks, without leaning to one side.

5. Place your feet flat on the floor.

Even with the correct sitting posture, you should change position every hour so that tension does not build up in the muscles and cause pain, by stretching the back, hip and buttock muscles.

A buttock stretch for people who ache after sitting for a long time: place one leg over the other (crossed in a figure 4), then slowly lean forward while keeping your back straight until you feel a stretch in your buttock. Hold for 10–15 seconds, repeat 3–5 times, then switch sides.

You can do this every day to reduce the chance of buttock muscle pain. Combining it with a warm compress from an electric heat pad gives even better results.