When sitting, many people believe that pulling their shoulders back, lifting up the chest and tucking in their buttocks to eliminate the curve of the lower back creates a healthy posture. If these actions seem difficult or make us feel uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean we are lazy or weak. Good posture actually comes naturally from using our body efficiently and allowing its structure to support us, rather than holding ourselves up by means of muscles alone.

When we sit, the position of the pelvis can either make slouching inevitable or attaining a more upright posture easy. If the buttocks are shifted forward, the back gets rounder, and the added weight compresses the nerves near the tailbone; breathing becomes restricted and the neck and shoulders naturally tense to try to hold us upright. However, by popping out the buttocks and seating the pelvis on the chair so that our weight drops down to the front edges of our “sitting bones”, we can relax our entire body and still remain upright and balanced.

Rolfing Structural Integration practitioners analyze how different positions and tension patterns shift the way our weight is supported, which in turn affects posture. Rolfers release these constricted areas in the connective tissues (fascia), which can bind us into habitual tension patterns. They also advise clients about the most efficient ways to sit, stand and move to help them achieve the balance, mobility and awareness needed to be able to enjoy a consistently relaxed, upright posture.

Source: Jazmine Fox-Stern is a certified advanced Rolfer in Boston. To schedule a consultation, call 617-308-7104 or visit BostonBodyBalance.com. For more information, visit Rolf.org.