Click here to watch Dr. Melanie’s video: Why Sitting Hurts Your Back on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGkqKjg-CnY&t=3s
The real culprit isn’t the chair—it’s alignment
We’ve all been there: shoulder-to-shoulder meetings where your back starts nagging. You drive, slump, cross a leg, stretch—you name it. Pain persists, and it's all too easy to blame your chair, your age, or an old injury. But here's the truth: it’s not how long you sit—it’s how your spine is positioned while you sit.
Our spines are built with three natural curves—cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), and lumbar (low back)—designed so that bones stack neatly and share the work. When we sit misaligned, those curves flatten or exaggerate, shifting the load to muscles (hello, pain) or compressing joints and discs.
When that curve is compressed, then the bones aren’t holding you up. It’s muscle tension that’s causing a lot of the pain. As muscles clamp down and joints press, our nervous system locks in that discomfort. Over time, this misalignment feels “normal” even when it’s not—and then correcting it just feels weird.
You sit down for a meeting. Your back aches.
You drive home. It still aches.
You sleep, wake up, stretch… still there. You cross one leg, then the other. You shift in your seat, try a cushion, blame the chair, blame your age, maybe that old injury.
But what if it’s none of those?
What if the real reason sitting hurts your back isn’t how long you sit… but how your spine is positioned while you sit?
Your Spine Isn’t the Problem—It’s How It’s Being Asked to Work
After 38 years of working with the body, here’s something I’ve seen again and again:
Pain isn’t just about wear and tear. It’s about misuse—and unconscious holding.
Your spine has three beautiful, natural curves:
Inward at the neck
Outward at the ribcage
Back inward at the low back
These curves aren’t random—they’re how we’re designed to carry ourselves.
But when we slump, perch, or brace for long periods, we flatten or exaggerate those curves. The weight of the body gets passed to muscles or joints that aren’t meant to carry the load. And the nervous system? It jumps into protection mode.
This protection can look like:
Clenched glutes
Tight belly
Shoulders creeping up
A breath that won’t drop below the collarbones
The longer we sit misaligned, the more our body believes this posture is “normal.” Until one day, it hurts just to sit still.
A Gentle Practice: Resetting Your Posture from Within
Let’s try something simple. Don’t fix anything yet—just notice.
Are your ears stacked over your shoulders?
Are your shoulders over your hips?
Are your feet flat and supported?
Now, sit at the edge of your chair.
Feet on the ground.
Take a slow breath in through your nose.
And as you exhale, allow your belly to soften and your low back to round gently.
Inhale and arch the low back just a little.
Repeat that a few times. Notice what moves easily—and what doesn’t.
Now imagine your pelvis as a bowl of water.
You’re trying to balance it—not tipped forward or backward.
Let your spine rise from that balanced bowl.
Bring in a lumbar pillow or small rolled towel behind your low back.
Let your body lean into it and receive the support.
This isn’t about sitting up straight like a soldier. It’s about finding alignment that breathes.
Support Isn’t Stiffness—It’s Trust
When your spine is supported:
Your muscles don’t have to brace
Your discs aren’t being compressed
Your facet joints stop yelling for help
Your breath deepens
Your nervous system calms down
This is what I call active sitting—a way to stay alert, relaxed, and aware while letting your structure do the work.
It’s not fancy.
But it’s profound.
One Small Practice: Check In Daily
This week, try this:
👉 Once a day, pause and ask:
“How am I sitting right now?”
Then reset:
Ears → Shoulders → Hips
Belly soft
Back supported
Breath moving
See what shifts—not just in your pain, but in your energy, focus, and presence.
Your spine doesn’t need to be forced into posture.
It needs to be invited into support—like a garden vine leaning into a trellis.
The right structure allows for natural rise. And when that happens, your body no longer feels like a burden—it becomes a home again.
Let me know what you notice.
Did your pain shift?
Did your breath drop deeper?
Did you feel a little more like yourself?
This small reset is a doorway to a bigger conversation—about how we live, move, and support ourselves. And I’m here for that conversation.
See you next time,
—Dr. Melanie