Home

  • Home
    • » e-Newsletters

Study: Don't sit up straight

Rehab Private Practice Alert, November 29, 2006

A recent study shows that sitting up straight may be a cause of lower back pain in some people, according to the Toronto Star.

Research first presented at the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago showed that sitting straight up at a 90-degree position puts unnecessary pressure on the disks of the lower back.

The Scottish research team found that the most natural position-the one putting the least strain on the lower back-is one in which the body is at a 135-degree angle where the psoas muscles are able to relax.

The study used a special MRI that allowed researchers to scan subjects in three upright positions to see what each posture did to the muscles, nerves, and disks in their backs, reported the Star.

Most Popular