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Whether you’re working from home or at an office, spending long hours sitting at a desk can have monumental impacts on your physical and mental health. Learning how to improve your posture while working a desk job is one way to help combat some of these negative outcomes, and we have some ways to help you do it. Let’s explore this problem together.

Why Posture Matters

Good posture helps you to maintain the natural curves of your spine, which aren’t arbitrary or trivial by any means. Think of your spine like a finely-tuned instrument; each curve and vertebral segment plays a role in properly supporting and balancing your body. When your posture is aligned, your muscles, ligaments, and joints work efficiently, reducing the risk of strain and injury.

Having good posture (partly) means that each portion of the spine has an optimal degree of curve. It acts as a shock absorber, and helps to evenly distribute the stress of everyday movement and activities. Poor posture, on the other hand, can overstress different areas, and lead to chronic fatigue, pain, and muscle imbalances.

Sitting at a desk is actually quite strenuous on the body, despite its static nature. It places the body under continuous pressure; the force of gravity acting on it incessantly, with no new movement or muscle activation to help mitigate the stress. Constantly fighting to maintain this position is likely to tire you out quite quickly, as we’re sure you’ve noticed on any given work day.

The Effects of Poor Posture

Prolonged sitting and poor posture takes a toll on the body and the mind. Here are just some of the negative effects of sitting that can happen in both the short and long-term if corrective measures aren’t taken:

• Reduced mobility, especially in the hips, spine, shoulders, and neck
• Decreased circulation; lack of movement leads to impeded blood flow
• Weakened muscles as a result of low muscle activity
• Muscles feel tight as a result of adaptive muscle shortening
• Diminished mental health; brain fog, forgetfulness, and fatigue 

Working a desk job and not addressing your posture is a risk that is too big to take! So, let’s learn how to improve it with expert advice plus some tried-and-true exercises from our programming here at ReverseSit!

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How to Improve Posture at a Desk Job

Below you’ll find some practical solutions for improving your posture at work, as well as stretches and exercises that are going to help fight the common tightnesses and weaknesses we see in the bodies of desk workers.

1. Setup Your Workstation Correctly

Choosing a chair that is comfortable for your body, adjusting the height so your legs are at a 90° angle with your feet flat on the floor, placing your monitor about an arm’s length away, and so many more tips will help you optimize your workstation for posture. We wrote a whole article about it! You can find it here.

2. Take Movement Breaks

Taking breaks where you get up to walk and move around are essential for maintaining healthy circulation and muscle activity throughout the work day. On the ReverseSit app, we have a section called Quick Fix: At Your Desk Routines, which are short, 5-minute mini workouts that you can do right at your desk to keep you supple and healthy!

3. Core Activation Exercises

The muscles in your abdomen and lower back (commonly referred to as the core) tend to get weak and lazy when you sit for long periods of time. In order to fix this, we need to train these muscles in our workouts away from the desk. Here’s two exercises from our platform to get you started!

Alternating Leg Lower

• To perform the alternating leg lower exercise, lie down on your back and bring your legs straight up towards the ceiling. Flatten your lower back against the ground by engaging your abdominal muscles, hold this position throughout. From here, lower one leg until it hovers just off the ground. Bring it back up. Alternate legs. Repeat for 10 on each side.

Supermans

• To perform the superman exercise, lie face down on your yoga mat with arms stretched out in front of you. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off of the mat. You should feel a strong contraction down the whole back side of your body. Return to the ground. Repeat for 10 repetitions.

4. Stretching, Mobility & Strength Training

This is the bread and butter of our programming here at ReverseSit. Sitting causes all sorts of tight, stiff muscles in the neck, shoulders, hips, and thighs (to name a few). Stretching and mobility exercises are some of the best ways to improve your posture while sitting at a desk! Here’s 2 that you can try today!

Reverse Lunge & Reach

• From a standing position, step back with one leg into a split stance/reverse lunge. At the same time, reach your arms up overhead and behind you. This will stretch out the whole front of your body. Step back and alternate legs. Repeat for 10 reps on each side.

Calf/Achilles Stretch

• Begin by kneeling on one shin with the other foot flat and knee tucked in close. From here, ensure the planted foot has its heel flat on the ground. Begin to round forward, hugging the upright knee and putting pressure on it while keeping the heel flat. You should feel a deep stretch in the back of your lower leg/ankle. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Other Tips…

There are many ways to improve posture while working at your desk job, some that are more obvious than others. While it might not seem directly related to how you’re sitting throughout the day, make sure you stay hydrated while you work. Dehydration leads to fatigue and brain fog, both of which can turn an otherwise good work day into a (literal) slump.

Make sure you are taking deep belly breaths while you work. Sitting at a desk can often encourage shallow chest breathing that severely limits the amount of oxygen you’re taking into your body. If you can take a big, deep breath into your belly, the chances are you are sitting upright with decent posture.

One final suggestion—a simple rule in optometry that can have positive effects on your eye health and posture is the 20-20-20 rule. This entails taking a break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This significantly reduces something called digital eye strain, and keeps you from drifting your head forwards towards the screen.

Reverse the Effects of Sitting

Are you sitting at a desk right now? The body is simply not designed to sit in a chair for prolonged periods of time, and yet 82% of us spend the majority of our days seated at a desk staring at a screen. 

These are the costs of too much sitting, are you willing to pay it?

• TIGHT HIPS AND A BAD BACK
• WEAK LEGS AND GLUTES
• POOR POSTURE
• SCIATIC PAIN
• WEIGHT GAIN
• BRAIN FOG
• LOW ENERGY
• VARICOSE VEINS
• DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS
• STIFF NECK AND SHOULDERS
• DIGESTIVE ISSUES & CONSTIPATION
• INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE
• INCREASED RISK OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
   

If you want to avoid all of the above—you need ReverseSit.

ReverseSit is the #1 app designed to help office workers live and work pain-free.

Fix the Root of the Issue

If you want to…

• …eliminate knee, hip, and lower back pain 
• …correct lower crossed syndrome and pelvic tilt
• …restore muscle balance and a healthy range of motion
• …establish proper posture and alignment
• …increase mobility and joint health 
• …decrease muscle and joint stiffness
• …feel stronger!

Then our platform is for YOU.

How Does It Work?

Unlock your body with our Dynamic Training Method. Start by signing up for a 7-day free trial, and you’ll immediately be given access to all of the programming in our membership area.

• High quality follow-along videos.
• 10-12 daily mobility sessions.
• 5-6 minute At Your Desk routines.
• World class coaches and instruction.
• Designed specifically for office workers.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

Even if you forget to cancel, or for some reason you don't enjoy the content, we'll refund your last month's payment right away. Just send us a quick email. We're here for the long term and will respect your choice!

Written by Eric Lister – Certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist