Sitting Up Straight Is Bad for You

"Sit up straight. Sit up straight." Man, how many times have we been ordered to sit erect at a 90-degree angle supposedly to ensure our spines didn't turn to jellified mush?

Turns out the conventional wisdom may have been wrong once again. A new study claims that the best way to sit at a desk is at a rather heavy recline of 135 degrees.

This isn't just hokum: The research involved multiple volunteers and MRI scans of the back to measure the effect of various sitting positions on spinal disks. In fact, the worst back effect was generated by sitting at a 90-degree angle. The best was the 135-degree posture, which produced the least amount of spinal disk movement.

It kind of makes sense when you think about it. It feels good to recline, which is why we sit that way where we're relaxing on the couch. On the other hand, sitting upright puts all your spinal disks in a big column, one on top of the other, pressing down on those poor disks at the bottom of the line. How could that be good for your back?

Of course, these are just the results of one study, and I'm sure there's plenty more research that needs to be done in this area. Meanwhile, I'm just glad to have a good excuse as to why I can kick my feet up while I'm trying to work. Doctor's orders, baby!