Bad Sitting Habits You Should Avoid Immediately

Back and neck pain and discomfort is no joke, as anybody who has ever suffered from either, will gladly let you know. If you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to suffer with back pain, neck pain, or any similar pain for that matter, you’ll know all too well how debilitating these pains and discomforts can be.

Unfortunately, we’re now living in a world that is becoming increasingly sedentary, as more and more jobs and pastimes tend to involve sitting at desks or tables, and really being all too active. This not only puts us at a greater risk of weight gain due to a lack of physical exercise, but on top of that, it also puts us at a greater risk of suffering from back and neck pain. You may not realize it, but your sitting habits could actually be the sole cause of your back and neck issues, which is why we’ve compiled this list, taking a look at a few bad sitting habits that you should avoid to help you achieve healthy back.

1. Slouching

If you sit on a chair, whether at a desk, at a table, or anywhere else for that matter, there is a good chance that you may have slouched at least once in the past. Slouching in a chair is, without question, one of the primary causes of neck and back discomfort for a number of reasons. The main reason for this however, is the fact that sitting in that position means that the lower back has no support whatsoever, as sensitive muscles and soft tissues will be placed under a great deal of strain.

With slouching, you won’t feel any immediate changes, in fact, it can take months, even years, before you do begin to feel the pain and discomfort, but once you do, boy, do you know about it. Rather than slouching in your chair, sit up straight, and maybe even think about strengthening your core, which will also benefit you in the long haul.

2. Hunching your back

This is actually one of the most common bad sitting habits when it comes to a bad neck and back, and the reason for this is primarily modern technology. You see, as so many people now work at desk in front of computers, a lot of them find themselves hunching over their keyboards with their heads leaning forwards.

Using mobile phones whilst sat at a desk can also have a similar effect, as again, you may find yourself hunched over your phone. Sitting like this can place a lot of strain onto your upper back when you hang your neck, causing both stiffness, and, overtime, pain as well.

3. Poking your chin forward

Whilst it is recommended that you keep your head up whilst sitting at a desk, some people tend to overcompensate and actually have their heads too high when looking at a screen or monitor, and may be guilty of poking their chins forward.

A lot of people actually make this mistake without realizing, and it is usually the result of having their chair too low, or having the TV/computer screen too high. By lifting the chin in order to look forward, by failing to straighten the back, a lot of pressure is placed upon the back and neck.

So, there we have it, just three very common bad sitting habits that have been found to contribute towards neck and back pain. As more and more of us are working jobs requiring us to work at a desk in front of a computer, we need to do all we can to rectify our sitting mistakes, otherwise we will pay the price later in life. Practice sitting properly to avoid back pain or go for a back massage whenever pain occurs. Back pain, neck pain, or even a combination of both, are not nice to suffer with, so take a look at the above, and see if you’re guilty of being a ‘bad sitter’.