Sitting straight not the most ergonomic way to sit

[annoyinggirl]

I have recently been experiencing lower back pain from sitting improperly. So i came across this 2006 study that suggests 135 degree is the best: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6187080.stm
This was very surprising to me, since all my life i have been told by well-intention ed people to "sit straight". I hear it all the time on the media as well (from things like movies, not documentaries)

what do you think? From personal experience, observations, and other scientific research, do you think 90 degree angle or greater than 90 degrees is better, ergonomically speaking? I know from personal experience that < 90 is bad for the back.

 

[Borg]

I would agree that less than 90 degrees is bad for your back. I do tend to sit in the 120 to 135 range. I have had times where I had back pains from sitting too much. However, they were all directly attributable to times when I wasn't working out regularly. IMHO, regular exercise is the best way to avoid back pain regardless of how you're sitting - excluding unnatural sitting positions < 90 or underlying back problems.

 

[PeroK]

The advice I got when I was having lower back problems was not to sit in anyone position for too long. It was starting yoga that did the trick though.

 

[Borg]

The advice I got when I was having lower back problems was not to sit in anyone position for too long. It was starting yoga that did the trick though.

Sounds like back exercises to me. :)
Definitely agree on not sitting too long. Even getting up and walking a few minutes every hour makes a big difference.

 

[annoyinggirl]

I would agree that less than 90 degrees is bad for your back. I do tend to sit in the 120 to 135 range. I have had times where I had back pains from sitting too much. However, they were all directly attributable to times when I wasn't working out regularly. IMHO, regular exercise is the best way to avoid back pain regardless of how you're sitting - excluding unnatural sitting positions < 90 or underlying back problems.

what kind of exercise did you do (strength training or cardio or stretching)? Also, how does exercise help with back problems? Back problems caused by too much sitting could be due to shifting of the spinal discs or sore muscles. Do you think exercise helps reverse shifted spinal discs and sore muscles?

 

[Evo]

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