The amount of time that those in a civilized culture spend in a sitting position while doing computer work is a well recognized problem.
Often times well intentioned individuals attempt to remedy this problem by educating others on better sitting ergonomics such as a better work station where the static position that one maintains throughout the day allows for the best alignment and greatest amount of passive support. It turns out the research does not really support this model of remediation as being that valuable. In my estimation, this is due to the fact that the problem with sitting at a computer is not that we are sitting in an improper position but that we are in one position too long. Therefore, instead of attempting to optimize a position of stillness, movement professionals need to promote frequent positional change.
This video is an example of a physical therapist completing his paperwork while using the principles of movement variability as opposed to postural ergonomics.
The positions varied every two minutes include::
- Poor man's half lotus
- The Z sit
- Hero's sit (heels together)
- Toe sit (heels together)
- Open Half kneeling
- Half hero's sit
- Prone on elbows half frog (myoball in abdomen)
- Prone FABER frog
- Prone FABIR frog
- Tall kneeling
- Half kneeling
- Deep squatting