Proper Sitting Posture to Help Alleviate Lower Back Pain

Are you struggling with back pain? It could be from exercise, muscle imbalances, or something we do every day… sitting! Let’s correct your sitting posture.

Sitting is one of the biggest contributors to chronic lower back pain. How does it happen? Your posture affects your spine and discs in ways you might not realize. Let’s explore how your sitting habits impact your body, the best ways to sit, and simple changes that can make a world of difference.

Understanding the Fluid Flow in Your Discs

First, let’s talk about the fluid in your discs. There is fluid in our discs, and the fluid can imbibe, which means comes into the disc, and the disc gets more plump. This same fluid can get pressed out of the disc through pressure, and the disc becomes less functional. This happens all day, every day.

For example, think about your car ride to work. If you set your rearview mirror at a specific height and then check it again after several hours of driving, you might notice you’re a little bit shorter when you get out of the car. This shrinking effect happens because the fluid in your discs has been pushed out. It’s a subtle process, but over time, this can reduce the function of your discs.

Research has shown that certain body positions affect the pressure on your discs, which impacts this fluid exchange. Standing, for instance, puts the least pressure on your discs—100%. But when you lean forward, the pressure increases significantly. Sitting? It’s 140% of the pressure that standing creates. Leaning forward while sitting boosts this to 185%, and adding weight to the mix ramps it up even more. Are you starting to understand how this contributes to your lower back pain? 

The Dehydration of Your Discs

A study by a researcher named J Kraemer took this concept further and found that sitting in a normal position actually leads to disc dehydration. He showed that the discs lose hydration when we sit, while standing and walking help to rehydrate them. Sitting, for all its conveniences, isn’t ideal for our discs. It’s clear that, while we can’t avoid sitting altogether, standing and moving more frequently is essential to healthy discs.

The Importance of Back Support and Posture

Now, let’s discuss how to sit to prevent unnecessary stress on your back and alleviate back pain. Should you use a backrest? The answer isn’t clear-cut. I don’t believe a backrest is strictly necessary, but having one available is helpful if you're sitting for long periods. That said, I recommend not relying on it all the time. If you’re always leaning back into the backrest, it can lead to chronic muscle tension.

The height of your seat also matters. You’ll want to find a position that works for your body. Should you sit with your hips open or more closed? This is a matter of preference, but I suggest using a chair with adjustable height. This allows you to change the angle and find the best position for you. And as for the leaning-back versus upright debate? Leaning too far back can cause your head and neck to tilt forward, leading to neck pain. I recommend sitting upright, and if you need to lean back for a break, you can do that—the key is to avoid leaning back exclusively for long periods.

Variety is Key: The Best Strategy for Sitting

Variety. No single chair or position will be comfortable for you all day. That’s why moving around and changing your position is essential. Sitting in one position for hours, even with the best ergonomic chair, can lead to repetitive trauma. This is true whether you’re sitting, standing, or anything in between. You need to get up, walk around, and switch things up to keep your body in balance.

In my own setup, I use a plyo box, a piece of gym equipment offering multiple heights. This allows me to stand, sit with one foot elevated, or even kneel. A kneeling bench has also been a game-changer for me. It helps me stay in a comfortable seated position without straining my back.

Focus on Balance

Ultimately, sitting is just one piece of the puzzle. If your body is imbalanced, you’ll feel more pressure on your discs, even when standing. The best thing you can do is work on achieving balance in your muscles. This doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort, it’s possible to sit comfortably in almost any position or chair. Instead of relying on gadgets, tools, or tricks, focus on improving your body’s strength and balance.

Conclusion: The Takeaway

No matter how great your chair or cushion is, sitting for long periods of time will still put pressure on your discs and cause lower back pain. The key to relieving this pressure is variety—changing your sitting position, taking breaks to stand and walk, and even lying down to give your discs a chance to rehydrate. Focusing on balancing your body and avoiding prolonged periods of any one position will help protect your back and neck from unnecessary pain.

So, remember: Your discs need movement and variety to stay hydrated and functional. Sitting is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to hurt. Keep changing it up, stay balanced, and work on the one thing you take with you wherever you go–your deep core, to make sitting more comfortable.

What’s been your experience with sitting and back pain? Have you noticed certain habits or setups that make a difference? Share your thoughts or questions below—your insights might help someone else find relief, too.