Here’s the thing. We know that sitting too long will lead to backaches and the solution seems to be something called “ergonomics”. It can come in the form of a chair, a table, or even a computer mouse. Everywhere we go, we see ergonomics. But what if I say — The solution to our backaches can be far simpler than ergonomics. And no, standing is not the answer. The solution is something we all already do from time to time when we feel the ache from sitting too long. That’s right — its simply movement. Moving more will increase your blood circulation, moving more will increase your metabolism, moving more will bring about a ton of benefits you didn’t even know. But as much as movement is good for us, we know we don’t have the luxury of time to take breaks every 5 minutes just to stretch. So, what do we do? What can we do? This is the part where we introduce to you the more practical solution to our problem of backaches — effortless movement.

Yes, we are challenging ergonomics with this effortless movement.

SAY WHAT?

So what exactly is Effortless Movement?

Effortless movement is the art of moving your body effortlessly as you seek balance naturally, without needing any conscious effort, and you can do it constantly, everywhere and anywhere. Even when you are sitting. Notice that we slouch and shake our legs or fidget when we sit down for too long? That’s the little movements that our body is trying to tell us, “Hey buddy, you need to move! I can’t stay still!”. Humans are designed to MOVE, not sit still. That’s why when we sit down for long hours with extremely little movements, our body feels sore. Over time, this turns into chronic back pain and neck pain which affects more than 50% of the people out there. And so the ability to move effortlessly while sitting down is extremely important. In fact, involving small little movements daily while sitting down can be equivalent to light human activity — which means you are not sedentary!

Hours spent on each activity for a normal person in a day

There’s no such thing as compensating over-sitting

You might be wondering — But I do exercise and walk around in a day, are they not movements? Yes they are. However, they do not compensate the effects of inactivity during the rest of the day. Just like eating lots of green in the morning doesn’t mean that you can start indulging in unhealthy burgers and mac and cheese for the rest of the day. We must alternate between the sitting and standing position to achieve the right balance. Therefore, it is important to have an office chair which promotes active sitting.

Choosing a good office chair

With every chair company championing “ergonomics” right now, it becomes harder for consumers to choose the right chair because everyone has their own definitions of “the chair that is good for your health and back”. These are the 3 good factors of a good chair.

(1) Open hip position to allow you to have a natural upright posture.

(2) A tilting mechanism to move forward and backward with ease so that the chair will move along with your movements and not hinder it.

(3) Allow your legs to control the movement of your body.

Tilting mechanism

Blood circulation promoted with movement

Movement is extremely important for health

The subconscious control of tilt and balance activates the essential venous pumping mechanisms in your lower legs, increasing blood circulation and sending waves of stimulating movement through your body. This helps to prevent numbness and swollen feet that is often caused by prolonged sitting. Since we are always encouraged to move and exercise, so why are we neglecting movement while sitting?

Do it, it’s a long term investment

A good chair will last more than 20 years and will help you achieve a good posture, better productivity and free you from chronic pain. Most good chairs cost upward of USD800. It might seem expensive to shelve out USD800 for a chair, but it is definitely a good investment you can make for yourself and your family for a better and healthier lifestyle. Don’t settle for one that proclaims to be “ergonomic” when it does not promote movement and possibly, not be able to last long.

Think chairs, think effortless movement.

This post is part of a student group’s effort to promote healthy posture and effortless movement.

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