Improve Your Posture - Recommended Sitting Positions
As you set up your sitting position at a desk or computer workstation, your should understand the benefits of neutral body positioning. Start with a comfortable posture in which your joints are naturally aligned as you work. Sitting with the body in a neutral position will reduce strain and strain on the tendons, muscles, and skeletal system. You will also reduce the risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). Review the important considerations below when adjusting your posture to maintain neutral body position while working at a workstation:
- Wrists, hands,
and forearms should be straight,
in-line and roughly parallel to the floor.
- As you face forward make sure your head is level, or bent
slightly forward, and balanced. Generally your head should be in-line with the torso.
- Your shoulders should be relaxed with your upper arms allowed to hang normally
at the side of the body.
- Keep your elbows close to
the body and keep them bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
- Your feet should be fully supported
by the floor or use a footrest if your desk height
is not adjustable.
- Keep your back fully supported
with a comfortable lumbar support when sitting vertical
or leaning back slightly.
- Keep your thighs and hips supported by a well-padded seat and generally
parallel to the floor.
- Your knees should be the same
height as your hips with your feet
slightly forward.
Regardless of how good your working
posture is, working in the same posture or sitting still
for prolonged periods is not healthy. You should change
your working position frequently throughout the day in
the following ways:
- Make small adjustments to your chair or backrest.
- Stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso.
- Stand up and walk around for a few minutes periodically.
These four reference
postures are examples of body posture changes
that all provide neutral positioning for the body.
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Recommended Upright Sitting Posture. Your torso and neck should be nearly vertical and in-line, your thighs should be approximately horizontal, with your lower legs vertical.
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Figure 1. Upright sitting posture
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Figure 2.
Keep your torso and neck vertical and in-line, thighs approximately horizontal, and lower legs vertical
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Recommended Standing Posture. Your legs, torso, neck, and head should be in-line and vertical. You may also elevate one foot on
a rest while in this posture.
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Figure 3. Standing posture
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Figure 4.
Your legs, torso, neck, and head should be in-line and vertical
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Recommended Declined Sitting Posture. Your thighs should be
inclined with your buttocks higher than
the knee and the angle between your thighs
and the torso should be greater than 90 degrees. Keep your torso vertical or slightly reclined
and keep your legs vertical.
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Figure 5. Declined sitting position
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Figure 6.
Your thighs should be inclined with your
buttocks higher than your knee and the angle between your thighs and your torso should be greater than 90 degrees. Keep your torso vertical or slightly reclined and your
legs vertical
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Recommended Reclined Sitting Posture: Your torso and
neck should be straight and recline between
105 and 120 degrees from the thighs.
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Figure 7. Reclined sitting posture
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Figure 8.
Your torso and neck should be straight and recline between 105 and 120 degrees from the thighs
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