There was a time, not so long ago, when the word on the street was that sitting was the new smoking ( I may even have said it) but it seems that’s not the case. Research suggests that the problem is not sitting or standing or good or bad posture for that matter.

Would you believe that there is actually no evidence to support the idea that sitting or standing with a straight spine is better for you than slouching!!

The problem is not our posture while sitting or standing. The problem is not moving enough – not changing position often enough and when we sit we tend to get comfy and stay relatively still. It seems our bodies are designed to move and will complain if kept still for long periods of time.

But what if you need to be in front of a laptop for long periods of time? One solution is alternate between a chair, standing and, my favourite, the floor. I’m sitting on the floor as I type  – floor cushion and a laptop tray. If I was sitting on a chair at a table I would likely stay pretty still as I type. However, on the floor I’m shifting and moving going from crossed legged, wide legged, kneeling etc. It’s harder to get comfortable on the floor so it forces you to find new positions more often. Plus you have to get up and down to make the occasional cup of tea so you have all the lovely strength and mobility work that’s required just to get up and down from the floor.

The very best thing we can do for ourselves is move more of our parts more often. So the next time you think about your posture do just one thing – change it in some way. Remember …….. your best posture is your next posture.