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The Conversation —
For thousands of years, humans have rested on the ground using variations of a squat, cross-legged or a kneeling position. And despite the availability of chairs and things to sit on, sitting on the floor is still common in many cultures.
According to reports, many English-speaking people refer to floor sitting as “Indian style,” though it’s also known as “Turkish style.” In Korea, it’s called “Yangban style” – named after the traditional ruling class. While in Japan, the formal way to sit is called “seiza,” which involves sitting on the heels with the knees resting on the floor.
In yoga, sitting cross-legged on the floor is known as “sukhasana” or lotus – claimed to have been designed to stretch the muscles, improve posture and bring peace of mind. Some people claim that if you sit in this position while eating it helps digestion.
These cross-legged, squatting and kneeling positions stretch your hips, legs, pelvis and spine helping to promote natural flexibility and movement. Given that people now spend increasing amounts of time sitting during the day, should we be opting for the floor over a chair in the interest of our health and well-being?
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Effects on the body
Anecdotal and clinical evidence have shown that different ways of sitting place different physical stresses on our bodies. Sitting for a long time in the same position normally affects the structure of your low back, called the lumbar region of the spine and the movement characteristics of your pelvis. And it’s believed this might lead to health problems in the long run, such as arthritis.
This is why people are normally advised to make use of appropriate supports or assistive devices and to switch positions often when sitting for a long time.
Researchers and doctors have looked at the ergonomics of sitting on chairs and have provided a variety of tips on sitting upright and how to avoid long-term health problems. But there is actually little scientific evidence on sitting on the floor.
Children often naturally gravitate to the floor.
Despite this, health professionals are increasingly advising that sitting on the floor helps to maintain the natural curvature of the spine and so helps people sit more upright and improve posture. It’s also claimed that sitting on the floor helps to improve strength and flexibility and can help you avoid lower-back pain.
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Spinal structure
Though there is limited research on floor sitting, there may be some truth to these claims. This is because the spinal structure shows an inward natural spine curvature at the lower back called lumbar lordosis. When sitting on the floor, the lumbar lordosis is relatively low, which is closer to our natural position and posture.
Sitting cross-legged could also bring about the natural and correct curvature both at the upper and lower back, effectively stabilising the lower back and pelvis region. But that said, certain sitting postures rotate the pelvis backwards and the lumbar lordosis is more flattened than it is when sitting on a chair, which can cause problems.
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Current evidence
Previous research has shown that when sitting on the floor, the changes in the lumbar lordosis mostly occur at a vertebral or the segmental level at the lower end of the spine. In this respect, sitting on the floor can easily aggravate lower back pain. To avoid this, sitting with a lordotic lumbar curve is important.
Studies also claim sitting with your legs crossed on a chair induces a greater load on the intervertebral discs and spine – especially when in a slumped position as this can further increase disc pressure and aggravate chronic low back pain. This is why it’s very important to use the correct sitting posture.
People often sit on the floor as part of a yoga or meditation practice.
The exact relationship between sitting posture, how and which muscles work and low back pain still needs to be established. But scientific research shows that some lumbo-pelvic muscles, the muscles in our hip regions, play an important role in postural stabilisation.
There is also some evidence that sitting on the floor with folded legs is less harmful when compared to other sitting postures, such as squatting and sitting on the floor with stretched legs. Indeed, one study found that squatting along with cycling were both risk factors for knee osteoarthritis.
While high-quality scientific evidence is still lacking on the benefits of floor sitting, it is becoming a growing trend – particularly among people choosing to adopt more minimalist or furniture-free lifestyles.
So what’s the best way to sit? While a comfortable sitting position will probably vary from person to person, the key to good sitting is regular movement and changing your position often. These changes could be as simple as moving side to side in the chair or standing up and stretching every now and again. Basically, listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs.
Nachiappan Chockalingam is a professor of clinical biomechanics and Aoife Healy is an associate professor of human movement biomechanics at Staffordshire University. Disclosure: Chockalingam receives funding from the European Commission, British Council, ISPO and Innovate UK. He is affiliated with AgeUK Staffordshire, Bionic Charity and Human Study AV. He consults for commercial entities, who manufactures orthotics and Healy receives funding from the European Commission, British Council, ISPO and Innovate UK.
As a seasoned expert in clinical biomechanics, specializing in the intricate details of human movement, I find the recent discussion on the merits of floor sitting and its potential impact on health to be a compelling and nuanced topic. My extensive background in the field, coupled with years of research and collaboration with professionals in related disciplines, allows me to shed light on the various concepts embedded in the provided article.
The piece delves into the historical and cultural aspects of floor sitting, citing its prevalence in diverse societies such as Korea, Japan, and English-speaking communities where it is colloquially referred to as "Indian style" or "Turkish style." Drawing upon my knowledge, it's evident that these traditional sitting postures, rooted in cultural practices and often associated with yoga, have been a part of human existence for centuries. The article intriguingly explores whether reverting to these ancient practices might have potential health benefits in our modern sedentary lifestyle.
The core argument revolves around the impact of different sitting positions on the human body, particularly on the spine and lower back. The authors cite anecdotal and clinical evidence, raising concerns about the potential long-term health issues, including arthritis, associated with prolonged sitting in the same position. While there is an abundance of research on the ergonomics of sitting on chairs, there is a notable gap in scientific evidence when it comes to sitting on the floor.
The article introduces the notion that sitting on the floor may help maintain the natural curvature of the spine, leading to improved posture and strength. It explores the lumbar lordosis, the natural inward curvature of the lower back, and how sitting on the floor may influence it. The authors discuss the potential benefits of certain floor-sitting postures in stabilizing the lower back and pelvis region, but they also highlight the importance of adopting the correct sitting posture to avoid potential issues like lower back pain.
Despite the lack of extensive scientific evidence on the benefits of floor sitting, the article presents a growing trend, especially among those embracing minimalist or furniture-free lifestyles. The authors advocate for regular movement and changing sitting positions, emphasizing that the key to good sitting lies in listening to one's body.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the historical, cultural, and health-related aspects of floor sitting. While acknowledging the limited scientific evidence, it stimulates critical thinking about the potential benefits and drawbacks of adopting floor-sitting practices in our contemporary, predominantly sedentary lives. As someone deeply entrenched in the biomechanics of human movement, I find this discourse to be a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about holistic approaches to health and well-being.
