A physiotherapist says the problem is not sitting, but staying still

As children return to school in September and many adults return to their desks, complaints about stiff backs and sore necks often follow. People may assume they are sitting incorrectly, but registered physiotherapist Sean Overin says the evidence that an upright, chin-up posture prevents pain is surprisingly limited.

Overin, who co-ordinates the Chronic Pain Program at Tall Tree Health, which has a clinic in Port Coquitlam, says the long-standing advice to sit straight with shoulders back reflects posture campaigns and military fitness drives of the early 1900s. Slouching on its own is not a bad habit that needs fixing, he says, and it is not inherently damaging the back.

The bigger issue is often staying in one shape for too long. A person may become uncomfortable after hours in any position, including a seemingly good one, because they have been still. Being generally fit or taking an evening walk may not fully offset a workday spent in one posture.

He recommends changing positions throughout the day: slouch for a while, sit upright from time to time and stand when possible. If a position eases discomfort temporarily, that is fine, but it does not mean a person should remain there all day. The spine appears to benefit from moving through its full range rather than being held at one end of it.

Small, frequent changes may be more useful than a standing desk or special cushion, Overin says. After a call or email, people can stand and roll their shoulders for 10 seconds, walk to a farther tap for water, or speak to a colleague in person instead of sending a message. He also suggests getting outside once a day, whether on the Coquitlam River trail or the PoCo dyke for people working from home, or by taking a short walk around the block from the office. A 10-minute lunchtime walk can help reset a body that has been still all morning.

Overin describes stiffness after prolonged sitting as feedback rather than damage: a prompt to move, much as hunger is a prompt to eat. This column is general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.