Why Sitting Isn’t Actually the Problem
By Heath Williams — Osteopath, Principle Four Osteopathy Melbourne CBD
If you work in an office, you’ve probably heard this advice:
“Sitting is the new smoking.”
Patients tell me this almost daily.
And understandably — many people associate their back, neck or shoulder pain with sitting at a desk.
So they try to fix it by:
-
buying a new chair
-
sitting straighter
-
purchasing a standing desk
-
forcing “perfect posture”
Yet the pain often stays the same… or returns.
That leads to a worrying conclusion:
“My job is damaging my body.”
Fortunately, this is rarely true.
Sitting itself is not the real problem.
The issue is how the body adapts to sustained, repetitive load without variation.
Understanding this changes both recovery and prevention.
First — Reassurance
Research consistently shows:
-
Sitting does not directly damage the spine
-
There is no single correct posture
-
Pain is poorly predicted by workstation setup alone
-
Movement variability is protective
People with pain often sit similarly to people without pain.
This is important — because it means you’re not fragile, and your work isn’t inherently harmful.
👉 Learn more about common conditions: Conditions We Treat
What Actually Happens During Prolonged Sitting
Your body is designed to tolerate load.
In fact, the spine is strongest under compression — the force created when sitting or standing upright.
The problem occurs when load is:
-
low level
-
repetitive
-
unchanging
-
sustained for long periods
Muscles remain lightly active to stabilise posture.
After enough time, the nervous system increases sensitivity as a protective response.
You feel stiffness, tightness or ache — not because damage occurred, but because the body wants variation.
Pain here acts more like a “move signal” than an injury alarm.
Why Perfect Posture Doesn’t Work
Many people attempt to sit upright all day.
This often makes symptoms worse.
Why?
Holding any posture rigidly requires constant muscle activation.
Fatigue develops faster than when posture changes naturally.
The spine does not need to be held in a single alignment.
It needs movement.
The best posture is simply the next one.
The Real Mechanism Behind Desk Pain
Three interacting systems contribute:
1. Load Tolerance
How much activity your tissues are prepared for.
2. Sensitivity
How protective the nervous system currently is.
3. Recovery
Sleep, stress, and general health affecting resilience.
When tolerance temporarily drops below demand, symptoms appear.
This explains why pain often increases:
-
late in the day
-
during busy weeks
-
with poor sleep
-
during stressful periods
Not because sitting changed — but because capacity changed.
Why Standing Desks Don’t Always Solve It
Standing desks can help some people.
But they work by introducing variation — not by removing sitting.
Standing still all day can cause similar discomfort for the same reason: sustained load.
Alternating positions is beneficial
Replacing one static posture with another is not.
👉 Ergonomic Workstation Assessment Melbourne CBD
The Holiday Effect
Many patients notice:
“I was fine on holidays, then it came back at work.”
Their posture didn’t suddenly improve on holiday.
Their day simply included:
-
walking
-
turning
-
reaching
-
resting naturally
Variation restored tolerance.
This strongly supports the modern understanding:
pain reflects capacity, not posture.
Why Stretching Only Helps Briefly
Stretching feels good because it changes sensation temporarily.
But tightness usually returns quickly.
That’s because the body isn’t short — it’s protective.
The nervous system increases muscle tone when load feels repetitive or threatening.
Lasting improvement requires changing tolerance, not just length.
Recovery Framework
Early Stage — Sensitive Phase
Typical symptoms
-
End-of-day ache
-
Morning stiffness
-
Neck or shoulder tightness
Goals
Reduce sensitivity without avoiding activity
Helpful strategies
-
Frequent micro breaks
-
Gentle movement
-
Walking briefly each hour
Clinical management
Education and reassurance
👉 Book Osteopath Melbourne CBD
Mid Stage — Adaptation Phase
Typical symptoms
-
Improves with movement
-
Returns after long sitting
Goals
Improve tolerance
Helpful strategies
-
Gradual strengthening
-
Vary tasks
-
Controlled exposure to sitting
Late Stage — Resilience Phase
Typical symptoms
-
Occasional flare-ups only
Goals
Prevent recurrence
Helpful strategies
-
Regular exercise
-
Load planning
👉 Exercise Rehabilitation & Strength Programs
Practical Strategies That Work
1. Movement Snacks
Every 30–60 minutes:
-
stand briefly
-
walk
-
move neck or shoulders
30 seconds matters.
2. Position Variety Rule
Use multiple comfortable positions:
leaning
upright
slightly reclined
Comfort > perfection.
3. Gradual Exposure
Avoid all-day sitting avoidance.
Tolerance improves through exposure, not elimination.
4. Whole-Body Activity
Walking and general exercise outperform isolated posture correction.
You can follow guided exercises here:
👉 Free Exercise & Stretch Videos
Why Pain Persists Even With a Good Setup
Because setup modifies load slightly.
But tolerance is built through activity.
Ergonomics supports recovery — it doesn’t replace it.
When To Seek Help
Consider assessment if:
-
symptoms persist beyond 2–3 weeks
-
pain spreads to arm
-
headaches increase
-
activity avoidance develops
👉 Meet Our Practitioners
👉 Book Appointment
What Treatment Looks Like
We focus on:
-
Understanding contributing factors
-
Reducing sensitivity
-
Restoring confidence
-
Increasing tolerance
Hands-on care may assist comfort
Movement restores resilience
Final Takeaway
Sitting isn’t dangerous.
Humans tolerate load well — but need variation.
The solution isn’t perfect posture or avoiding sitting.
It’s gradually building tolerance so work stops triggering symptoms.
— Heath Williams
Osteopath, Principle Four Osteopathy Melbourne CBD