New Year's Guide to Sitting! Day 2 - The Kitchen/Dining Chair

How we sit is more important than what we sit on, but...if your seating is working against you, you’ll be on a uphill battle to sitting better.  

Each day this week I’ll talk about a form of seating, some common issues with each one, and suggest simple solutions to help with the most common problems.

Day 2 - The Kitchen/Dining Chair

Do you or your family members use your dining room or kitchen table as a desk?  Don't be embarrassed...this may not be as bad as you think! 

In small NYC apartments, the kitchen table often is THE desk, especially for kids doing homework.  They may start like the first image and eventually end up like the second one.  The third option, offers a quick and inexpensive middle ground.

Benefits to the kitchen/dining chair: 
-Many kitchen and dining chairs have flat, firm seats, which can be fine on their own and can easily be adapted with a seat cushion.  The chair above is a $25 wooden Ikea chair, which I find much more comfortable than some "fancy" office chairs.

-The back is usually relatively straight, which may make it easier to add a back cushion.  Despite the bells and whistles touted my many office chairs, a very simple kitchen chair can in many ways be quite adaptable.

Problems:  
- Seat is too deep
- Chair is too hard
- Height isn't adjustable causing you to reach up to type.  This can lead to strain
- Some kitchen chairs dip in the middle of the seat.  It may look trendy, but it's not ideal for sitting, especially if you're working. 

Solutions:
Go for the wedge!  As suggested in yesterday's email, try sitting on a seat wedge if you'd like a bit more padding and it will help angle you more forward and make you less likely to slouch and it will give your sitz bones a little more cushion.

Seat too deep? Grab a cushion off of your couch and stick it behind your back so you can be closer to your work and still lean back.

If your chair dips, this product works really well to fill in the space. 

Use a wireless keyboard if you're typing on a laptop.  Place the keyboard on your lap or on top of a pillow or book on your lap.

Do you work on the go and often find yourself sitting on less-than-ideal cafe chairs?  Or maybe  you find yourself slouching while you socialize during lunch....Check out my email tomorrow on the topic of cafes and restaurants.  And check out what further topics to expect this week:

Seating in restaurants and cafes
No back - stools and the yoga ball 
The couch
Seating in planes, trains and automobiles
The floor