Chiropractor-1Americans spend on average 60% of their waking hours sedentary…sitting approximately 9 hours a day.
The negative side effects of sitting are well known, let alone sitting in a bad position.
When you sit at your desk like the skeleton on the left, this is what is happening in your body:

Forward head posture (up to 60 lbs. extra weight on neck and back muscles)
Elongated, inactive and weak upper back muscles
Excessive thoracic spine curvature
Internal shoulder rotation
Shortened chest (pec) muscles
Reduced hip flexion
Elongated, inactive and weak glutes
Shortened hamstrings

Also, as soon as you sit down, your calorie burning drops to 1 calorie per minute. Sitting more than 6 hours a day increases your risk of death by up to 40% versus someone who sits less than 3 hours a day, even if you exercise.
Sitting has been known to lead to a greater risk of colon, breast, and endometrial cancers, while causing tight hips, shoulders, and neck, weak glutes and back muscles, and soft bones (leading to osteoporosis).
Even though 90% of adults claim to have experienced some level of back pain, it’s also true that perpetually standing isn’t a healthy solution, either.

Chiropractor-2And standing is unavoidable at times. You can’t pace up and down the aisle of an airplane during a long flight, or in a theater during the movie, and it might seem a little crazy to jog in place while eating a burrito. The solution is not simply sitting less, it’s sitting BETTER!

But don’t get too caught up on just sitting better, you must fix your posture while you’re standing looking down at your phone.

Looking down at a cellphone is equivalent to placing a 60-pound weight on your neck or similar to giving a shoulder ride to an 8-year-old… every time you text.
This strain is unnecessary and is the leading cause of neck and back pain. A simple solution would be to raise your hands and arms from your lap to your chest. This increases your head extension and improves your neck posture by taking away the extra strain.
HOW TO SIT BETTER

Look at the image below to see how you can correct your posture while sitting at a desk:

OTHER TIPS FOR BETTER POSTURE:
Sit on an exercise ball as it strengthens your core muscles that stabilize your spine by providing an instability and automatically provoking your body to stay balanced
Put your feet on a foot stool or books 4-6″ high when you’re in a seated position
Swim in the ocean or pool a few times a week to strengthen your core (and it improves your posture)
Place a pillow on your lap to hold up your arms when texting/reading
Cheers to happy and healthy sitting!