Computer Posture Mistakes and Fixes

Posture is “the position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting” (definition credit: Google and Oxford Languages). Having good posture includes many different variables and steps in the process. I’ve learned the most important variable to having good posture means having a balanced, neutral spine. When sitting for long periods of time, 2 of the most common posture mistakes I suffered from affected me the most. These 2 posture mistakes are sitting with a compressed spine and sitting with an overextended spine.

Bad posture used to affect my physical appearance and my self-confidence. The posture mistakes I made while sitting at a computer were also having long term effects on me 24 hours a day. Sitting at a computer for long periods of time can take a heavy toll on us physically and mentally. Improving your posture can help improve overall health and well-being. Starting my good posture journey has prevented muscle tension, joint strains, back pain, and many other physical injuries. The 2 most common posture mistakes can easily be corrected by quick posture fixes.

Nothing on my website is medical advice.

It’s for informational purposes only. I share my experience, what has worked for me, and what hasn’t. I talk about the poor posture mistakes I’ve fixed and the good posture habits I’ve learned.

You are your primary caretaker. Not your doctor, surgeon, coach, or physical therapist. They all play a role. But, they also have their own agenda and their own motivation that’s not always in our best interest, regardless if it’s intentional or not. Do your research and make good decisions. Be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.

Common Posture Mistakes And Fixes

Slouching forward with a compressed spine

Placing our hands on a keyboard and mouse can easily cause a chain reaction of posture mistakes. To put our hands on a keyboard and mouse, we instinctively tend to internally rotate our shoulders. Internally rotating our shoulders into this compromised position would then cause my neck and upper back to lean forward into a vulnerable state (known as kyphosis). During kyphosis, the anterior (front) side of the spine becomes compressed. At the same time, the posterior (back) side of the spine becomes overextended. Sitting for long periods with an imbalance in the spine like this is what leads to spinal disc degeneration. The anterior (front) portions of the discs are crushed. The posterior (back) portions of the discs began to overstretch and tear over the long term.

Sitting with this compressed spine can affect the entire back, as well as core muscles and joints. Our spines are essentially connected to everything. Nerves, tendons, muscles. Every action by the spine has reactions throughout the body. If the spine is not neutral for long periods of time, it can cause muscle tension and a number of issues anywhere in our bodies.

Sitting up too straight with an overextended spine

The opposite of a compressed spine is an overextended spine. It can also be known as lordosis or sway back. There is a slight difference between lordosis and sway back. All we need to focus on is that both of them are overextended, incorrect, and need to be fixed.

For years, I sat at a computer for long periods with a compressed spine. One day, I finally took account of my poor posture mistakes. Although I tried to correct my posture, I still didn’t know what a neutral spine was. So naturally, like anything else, I overdid it. I sat up way too straight. I overextended my spine, which corrected some of my problems, but also caused new issues.

This went on for a while before I learned what a neutral spine was. It caused a lot of confusion in my back muscles. They were tight and dominant. My hips were also overextended, lengthened, and tight.

Fixes

Understand the spine better

The first key to improving your posture is to understand the spine better. We need to understand the spine is naturally curved. We need to know what that curvature looks like when the spine is in a neutral position. Also, we need to increase our body awareness to know when we’re sitting with a compressed or overextended spine. Note the 2 images I’ve placed in this article that show the natural curvature of a neutral spine from a side angle.

Understand the core muscles better

There is a common misconception that many people think the core muscles are only on the anterior (front) of the body. I used to be guilty of this. Depending on who you ask, the specific definition of what core muscles are can be different. I don’t want to create my own version of exactly what muscles are included in the core muscles group. But I will say that it definitely requires some lower back muscle activation to support our upper body while sitting with a neutral spine. Activation from the abdominals, obliques, pelvic floor, and hip flexors is also necessary.

It’s important that these muscles aren’t constantly flexed. In that case, even sitting with good posture can be a bad thing. Regardless if posture is good or bad, constant muscle activation for long periods of time can cause repetitive strain injuries and stubborn muscle tension. There are a couple good habits to avoid this. The first is that I try to let my upper body sway like a tree blowing in the wind, not stiff like a brick building. The second habit is I take breaks from sitting often. I try to stand up and walk around at least every 15 minutes.

Understanding the spine and core muscles better are the 2 most important steps to improving your posture at a computer. Good posture is an extensive process that can be very overwhelming. I wrote a book to simply this process as much as possible. It’s titled “45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture.” It’s available in both digital and paperback versions.  

>>> Click here to pick up your copy

This book explains how to improve your posture through different variables of health and wellness. These include sitting posture, standing posture, sleep, hydration, and breathing. Poor posture is not just how we sit at a computer. The health habits we practice, 24 hours a day, are directly related to how good (or bad) our computer posture is.

Go to SittingPosture.com/book to learn more.

Thanks for your interest in sitting posture. If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking very valuable steps forward to improving your posture. Feel free to forward this article to a friend or family member who sits at a computer for long periods of time.

Todd Bowen

P.S. You can sign up for my free computer posture newsletter here.