San Francisco Chronic Back Pain and Disc Herniation Center Comments:

We have been teaching patients ergonomics at our San Francisco back pain center for many years now. So, this is really a shocker. Up until recently, it was thought that the best way to sit in your chair at your workstation was at a 90 degree angle, feet flat (or on a stool if you are short), with your computer monitor directly in front of you at eye level. But, as we know, the farther along science progresses, the more we learn about how to make things better (sometimes). According to a recent study performed by Scottish and Canadian researchers, the best position for sitting is at a 135 degree angle. They used state of the art MRI equipment to visualize spinal discs height and loading using various postures.   The story talks about how 32% of the population spends over 10 hours per day in front of a computer. Half do not leave the desk at all, even to have lunch. Amazing!  So, how do we put this information to work so we can put less stress on our spinal joints and discs ? Well, I have tried 135 degrees. It is very difficult to maintain. Try 120 degrees as suggested in the study, and move your monitor closer to your body. Most decent chairs unlock so you can do this. After you play around with it for a while and your body gets used to it I think you will notice a reduction in back pain (if you have it) when you sit for long periods. Let us know how this works for you.