(3-minute read)
As an experienced Westbury Park osteopath, I am asked regularly by patients about the best sitting position to help ease or prevent back pain.
I'm passionate about reducing back pain for my patients, and it represents a significant majority of the treatments I provide at my Westbury Park osteopathic clinic in Bristol.
The cost of back pain
The NHS spends nearly £5 billion per year on back pain-related patient issues.
This includes GP consultations, hospital admissions and other treatments, while it has been estimated that back pain costs the UK economy £20 billion per year in lost working hours and reduced productivity. Find out more here.
The overall costs are staggering, and as a Westbury Park osteopath, I am committed to helping patients reduce or eliminate back pain from their daily lives.
How to help with back pain
One of the most powerful and simple ways to help back pain is by utilising the best sitting position at home and at work. A good sitting position is vital for overall back health.
What is a good sitting position?
Many people are unaware of what constitutes a good sitting position in the first place, and too many modern chairs and seats discourage good sitting and a healthy posture.
I show patients how to encourage their core muscles to engage and to be mindful about sitting in a position that prevents them from slumping or slouching.
Most chairs, unfortunately, do not encourage a healthy, natural spinal curve, which is essential for good posture and spinal health.
A good sitting position involves having the knees lower than the hips, so the thighs gently slope downwards.
This helps the pelvis to gently rotate forward, which encourages maintenance of a healthy spinal curve (as you have when you stand). This will allow and encourage good, healthy overall posture.
Are core muscles important?
Our core muscles are vital when it comes to improving back health. A good core protects the back.
It is critical to encourage the back and abdominal muscles to engage when it comes to a good sitting position and overall back health.
Core muscles are the deep muscles in the back and abdomen that help to stabilise our spine and prevent injuries.
When our core muscles are deactivated (often as a result of poor sitting position and bad posture), we are more at risk of back pain and disc injuries.
A common misconception is that we should offer the spine lots of support. Actually, the more we support the back, the more our core/postural muscles deactivate. The important thing is not to give the back additional support.
My unique Z Chair combats this - find out more here.
What's the best seat for back pain?
My Z Chair promotes the maintenance of a natural spinal curve, promoting a natural sitting position, encouraging natural spinal curves and engaging core muscles.
Sitting posture is one of the most important factors in preventing back pain. Find out why here.
Most people sit for 8-10 hours daily, often in poor bio-mechanical positions that decondition their core and spine.
Poor sitting position is a key predisposing factor in back strain and back injuries.
To help back pain with a simple and proven sitting solution, visit here. (
Need help with back pain now?
If you're looking for back pain treatment in Bristol, read this recent article.
To make a booking for a consultation at my osteopathic clinic in Westbury Park, please visit here.