Todd Bowen, Author at SittingPosture.com

How to Sit Comfortably with Sciatica Nerve Pain

Symptoms of sciatica can include inflammation, irritation, pain, numbness, or tingling of the sciatic nerve. A number of places could be painful including the back, butt, or legs. In my experience, sciatic pain has ranged anywhere from light discomfort to incredibly sharp, shooting pain.

Sciatica can become debilitating in extreme cases. It happened to me once. The sciatic pain felt like a knife stuck in my back. I couldn’t walk. I was stuck in bed for almost 2 days. It hurt even to roll over in bed. I ended up going to the emergency room for it. I was out of work for about 10 days.

It’s hard to believe that sitting for long periods of time causes this extreme sciatica pain. My poor sitting position definitely contributed to my shooting pain. There were many reasons. I had an old office chair that didn’t fit me well. I never used a standing desk back then. Also, I would sit for long periods of time without taking breaks. This led to my most overused muscles and tissues lacking blood flow. My lumbar spine was not properly supported. I didn’t have an ergonomic chair that included lumbar support. I never sat with proper posture because I didn’t know how to do it.

8 Ergonomic Devices For Computer Use

Working too long on a computer is the worst. Our bodies were designed to get into that position. But they weren’t designed to stay there long term. Speaking from experience, this results in chronic discomfort and pain.

Ergonomic devices matter for people who use a computer for long periods.

This article talks about ergonomic devices, that’ve helped turn my workstation into an asset that promotes good computer posture.

Poor ergonomics can lead to repetitive stress injuries rsis, back, neck and shoulder pain (just to name a few).

These can lead to lower productivity in the long run, due to physical pain, less energy, and low mental clarity.

Investing in ergonomic equipment, that’s designed to reduce the risk of computer pain, can significantly enhance comfort and performance.

Posture Injuries from Computer Use

The American office worker spends an average of 40 hours per week sitting at a computer desk. That equals 2,000 hours per year. If someone had a desk job for 20 years, that equals 40,000 hours of loading on the spine in poor sitting postures.

Poor posture can eventually cause injuries if not corrected early on. The sooner these poor sitting postures can be corrected, the less severity of posture related injuries from computer use will occur.

Posture Related Injuries from Computer Use — Photo by **Andrea Piacquadio** from **Pexels**

I used to have an office job at a large company. Along with myself, the number of co-workers who were affected by musculoskeletal disorders from computer use was staggering. When I first started my blog, I would get emails from co-workers that I didn’t personally know. But we all sat at the same desks, in the same office, for long periods of time. They would ask for advice or help with their common computer-related injuries. I’d give them my favorite ways that I improved my different sitting postures. Before long, a large percentage of my co-workers were interested. In order to prevent musculoskeletal disorders from computer use, the first step I would recommend is to learn proper sitting posture. That’s why I created a free ebook. You can download it at SittingPosture.com/ebook.

8 Types Of Sitting Positions

Sitting for a long time can cause computer pain, regardless of what position I’m in. Even if my posture is perfect, pain doesn’t care. It cares about how long I’ve constantly activated my chronically overused postural muscles.

That’s why different sitting positions matter when it comes to comfort, long-term health, back pain prevention, work productivity, mental clarity, and energy levels.

8 Types Of Sitting Positions — This article will talk about multiple different sitting positions. Some are good for computer work, some are not. Some are good to improve mobility, especially for office workers.

It’s not uncommon for office workers to grind out computer work while long sitting. A similar sitting position is common when they commute to and from work, travel, during leisure time on the couch, the list goes on…

Poor postures often lead to strain or discomfort.

In this article, I’m sharing a round up of specific sitting positions. It’ll also include useful tips on good posture and avoiding pain when sitting.

How to Sleep for Better Posture

We use intention and pay attention to the way we move during work hours. We overlook the fact that sleeping in the proper position can also help improve a person’s good posture.

There are many benefits of recovering in a good sleeping position. We rest better, recover better, and wake up feeling refreshed.

how to sleep for better computer posture — Posture happens at our desk. But ergonomics happens in the gym, the kitchen, even in the bedroom.

Sitting with good posture at a computer desk for 8 hours is an endurance event. It takes strength, energy, and balance. The less our sleep quality is, the quicker we get tired the next day. The earlier we get tired in the day, the quicker our good posture turns into bad posture. Conversely, using more healthy sleeping habits will directly improve the posture we have throughout the next work day.

How to Sleep for Better Posture

Sleeping with bad habits can easily cause muscle tension issues and repetitive strain injuries. To improve your sleep quality, practice these good sleeping habits to prepare the body for a good night’s rest and recovery.

How to Choose a Good Pillow

My personal choice of pillow has both a medium density and a medium thickness. It’s not too firm, so it doesn’t feel like I’m resting my head on a hard foam yoga block. It’s also not too soft or too thin, which wouldn’t support my head, neck, and spine correctly. The medium density, medium thickness type of pillow that is ideal for me supports both my neck and head when I’m sleeping on my back. When I sleep on my side, I will fold the same pillow in half, doubling the thickness of the pillow, which is perfect for keeping my neck and spine straight and well supported (which avoids neck pain). We’ll talk more about each sleeping position later in this article.

Does Sleeping Without A Pillow Improve Posture?

I’m going with “no” on this one. I’d never try to sleep without a pillow. I just don’t see how it would keep my neck aligned. I always use the additional support of a pillow.

Why Does Good Posture Hurt

Even perfect posture can cause pain. It’s not what position we are working in. It’s how long we are working in that exact same position. Because keeping muscles chronically activated causes repetitive strain and overuse injuries.

It’s not uncommon to experience discomfort or pain when we first try to sit or stand up straight. This can make fixing your posture feel counterintuitive. It may lead to confusion about out whether good posture is really healthy, or if it is doing more harm than good.

Why Does Good Posture Hurt — This article will talk about why good posture hurts. It’ll also cover ergonomic ways to decrease that computer-related pain.

We need to understand that the pain is usually temporary, but can still lead to long term issues. This issues are caused by muscle imbalances, inactivity, or incorrect posture.

Posture correction can help encourage us to fix our posture, despite the pain.

In this article, I’m going to talk about why good posture hurts and how to improve posture without causing pain.

Low-Toxic Living for Better Computer Posture

I’ve been practicing something I call “low-toxic living” since January of 2024.

It has to do with minimizing the toxins that get inside my body. It also includes various ways to detoxify, and eliminate, toxins that have been in my body for many years.

Low-Toxic Living for Better Computer Posture — I practice low-toxic living for better computer posture.

As office workers, the cards are stacked against us. We work high-stress jobs, while being trapped indoors.

We rarely see the sun, or touch the soil of the Earth. Instead, we touch cars, concrete, and the soles of our shoes.

We work under fake lights, staring into a neon monitor screen, breathing in dust that falls from ceiling tiles, all day long. Standard office culture is a toxic lifestyle.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Ergonomic Hazards

An office can be full of ergonomic hazards. From fake lights, to fall risks, to outdated devices that are not ergonomically designed.

The employer can do their best to reduce injury risks. But safety in the workplace is ultimately up to us, the end user. We need to be the best advocate possible for our own ergonomic safety.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Ergonomic Hazards — This article will talk about ways that I protect myself from repetitive strain and overuse injuries (while using a computer).

Ergonomic hazards is one of the most important considerations, when creating a safe and healthy work environment.

And so today, I’m dedicating this post to talk about how you can protect yourself from ergonomic hazards.

Best Computer Posture Correction Devices

I enjoy sharing products with my readers that’ve improved my computer posture, not to mention my quality of life. I’m not compensated by any companies who make the products I’ll mention in this article. I paid my own money for all of them.

This article will talk about my favorite computer posture correction devices. 3 of them are beneficial in creating a healthy workstation setup. The other 2 are great recovery devices to use away from your working environment. But they are still directly related to improving your computer posture.

What Is The Underlying Principle Of Ergonomics In The Workplace

I used to think posture and ergonomics were the same thing. But the more I thought about it, ergonomics doesn’t just happen in the workplace. It goes home with us.

Any healthy habit that I practice, regardless if I’m at work or not, contributes to my overall health and wellness.

Therefore, many of them are variables in my computer ergonomics process.

What Is The Underlying Principle Of Ergonomics In The Workplace — I have many principles in my ergonomics process. This article will talk about all of them.

Ergonomics is the workplace is important. If I sleep poorly one night, I’ll be tired before 9am the next day. Think about how much that affects my sitting posture. This also explains why I include sleep quality as part of my ergonomics process.

Most adults spend a lot of time in the workplace. An 8-hour workday, 5 days a week, equals about 24% of our week. I want to do everything I can to be as effective as possible during that time.

To help understand that, I’ll talk about the underlying principle of ergonomics in the workplace.

Desk Job And Back Pain

When I graduated university, I couldn’t wait to get a desk job. Back then, working on a computer (to make a living) fascinated me.

I had worked some dirty jobs before I graduated. Waited tables, construction, hard physical labor, overnight shifts…

But after graduation, I could have a career where I sit in a chair and work at a desk? And I don’t have to work nights, or weekends? Sign me up!

Desk Job And Back Pain — This article talks about what caused the desk job pain I used to have. It also lists posture fixes that’ve helped me along the way.

But I had no idea how painful it can be, to sit at a computer 40 hours a week. Poor posture at a computer has caused me more pain than any physical labor job I’ve ever worked.

What Does Lumbar Support Do

Sitting for long periods of time used to break me down. Both physically and mentally. It can significantly affect the natural curve of the spine.

One of the most frustrating things to figure out was my chronic back pain. Specifically, located in my lumbar region (lower back).

What Does Lumbar Support Do — What is lumbar support and what does it do?

I learned a valuable lesson from my chiropractor years ago. He taught me about the correct position of a neutral spine. And how important it was to maintain the natural curves of the spine, especially when in a sitting posture.

Using lumbar support is a helpful way for me to maintain ergonomics when sitting in the workplace.

In this article, I’m going to talk about what lumbar support does. And how much it improves posture in my experience.

Ergonomic Modifications For Carpal Tunnel

Working on a computer for too long used to break me down, both physically and mentally. My chair and desk were a liability. Because they weren’t set up for proper ergonomics. And that led to a number of aches and pains in different parts of my body.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the common effects of prolonged computer use. It’s commonly referred to as wrist and hand pain from typing.

In this article, I’m sharing a round up of ergonomic modifications I made, to reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

How to Sit Up Straight While Working

Everyone wants pain-free computer posture.

But nobody knows where to start. (including me in 2011)

And that’s okay. Because you’re in the right place.

How to Sit Up Straight While Working — Understanding the natural curves of the spine played a large part in my pain-free computer posture process. Image by Eraxion via Megapixl.

The human body is very complex.

So I try to explain computer posture in the simplest terms possible.

I provide the minimal info, that will lead to the most improvements.

How to Have Good Posture at Your Desk

The majority of the employed population are required to work (while sitting at a desk) for a long period of time. Prolonged sitting and poor posture has caused me neck pain, back pain, headaches, and shoulder pain. The repetitive strain from sitting at a desk has also caused chronic tension and dysfunction in my muscles and tendons. All these not only affected my productivity at work, but also my quality of life away from my ergonomic office. Most of the factors that affected my posture were within my control. Once I learned how to correct them, they were not hard to change. But, these good posture habits took some commitment to maintain.

person using the computer to show good posture at your desk — Photo by Vojtech Okenka

How to Have Good Posture at Your Desk

Maintaining proper sitting posture is a life-long process. There are many variables to living a healthy lifestyle while sitting at a desk. Hydration, nutrition, breathing, body awareness, and self-healing are also some important variables when it comes to maintaining proper posture during a long day. I’ll get into those in more detail in other articles. Today, let’s start with how I changed some bad habits and got into a good posture position.

Sore Wrist From Typing

Typing for a long time used to cause pain and weakness in my wrists and forearms. Like many office workers, I suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s not uncommon to experience a sore wrist, both while typing plus when we leave our computer desks.

I’m dedicating this article to talk about why I used to get sore wrists from typing. I’ll also explain what to do about it, how I stopped it from hurting, and how I prevent it in the future.

Why Does it Hurt to Sit at a Computer?

We are literally just sitting there.

It’s called repetitive strain and overuse injuries. But what does that even mean?

Why Does it Hurt to Sit at a Computer? — Why does it hurt to sit at a computer? We are literally just sitting there.

This article will talk about what repetitive strain and overuse means. It will also give examples of how it happened in my personal experience. Finally, I’ll explain how I prevent those pains and injuries in the future.

Wrist Hurts From Computer Mouse

Working on computers, for long periods of time, used to break me down. I sat at a desk full-time for 11 years. I’d estimate 2,000 hours per year. So that’s at least 22,000 hours in just over a decade. It wasn’t easy to fix my computer pain. But it was attainable. I’ve fixed about 90% of my Carpal Tunnelrepetitive strain injuries caused by computer use.

It’s common to experience pain in several parts of the body. Shoulder rotator cuffs, neck, and lower back. Those come to mind first, from my personal experience.

Wrist Hurts From Computer Mouse — This article will talk about how I fixed my wrist pain that was caused by a tall, bulky computer mouse.

One of the most painful computer injuries I had was wrist pain, commonly known as carpal tunnel syndrome. It was actually one of the easier posture problems I fixed.

Repetitive movements and poor computer posture caused my wrists to hurt. Surprisingly, I actually fixed it by accident. And the wrist pain hasn’t come back since.

So today, I’m sharing a guide on how to deal with wrist pain from computer mouse use.

Why I Rotate Between Sitting, Standing, and Reclining at My Desk (for Better Posture & Energy)

Which is better, a sit desk or a stand desk?

I say, neither.

Because being able to use both is ideal.

Why I Rotate Between Sitting, Standing, and Reclining while working — If I can maintain correct elbow height, while supporting my torso and head well, I’ll sit in a reclined position similar to the one in this image. But I won’t sit like this all day. I’ll rotate working in multiple positions throughout the day. Image by Andrey Popov via Megapixl.

That’s why I choose a height-adjustable desk…

Because I like to work in different positions.

Somatic Breathwork for Computer Posture

Proper posture isn’t just about what position we work in. It’s how long we work in that position.

Repetitive strain and overuse injuries will be worse with bad posture. But tension and pain will still affect our postural muscles if we hold them activated in the same position for long periods of time (even if our posture is good).

Somatic Breathwork for Computer Posture — Somatic breathwork has been a valuable tool in my computer ergonomics practice.

The longer my work day is, the more my breathing suffers.

And when my breathing suffers, it can significantly impact my posture.

This article will talk about how I use somatic breathing for better computer posture.