The Myth of Perfect Posture

You know those universal jokes?  Things that most of us humans say in passing, and then we all have a small laugh and move on? For instance:

If something doesn’t ring up at the register, the socially accepted line is to say “Hmm, I guess it’s free.” And if someone is carrying flowers through a public space, the line is “Aww, are those for me?” That’s just two examples, but there are a ton of these cute little social contracts that we all seem to agree upon.  

Well, there is a universal joke that pertains to ergonomics, too. No matter where I am, and what the context is, it’s almost guaranteed that I will hear:

“You specialize in ergonomics? Oh, no, I better sit up straight!”

To which my well-practiced reply is “Don’t worry; I promise I don’t give out tickets. But if I did..” Usually followed by side-eye at someone nearby in a not-perfect posture. Always gets a laugh.

And as much as I adore universal jokes - I mean, they’re admittedly silly but it’s nice to have those little moments of connection - I always follow up this little joke with a bit of education.

There is a huge misconception that ergonomics means having perfect posture. And even though joking about it addresses this misconception in a light-hearted way, the perceived pressure to have “perfect posture” is no laughing matter, and can prevent people from seeking the help that they need. So let me ease your mind.

Ergonomics is not about perfection. It is about modifying your environment so that you can have the best, most neutral posture for your body while working. So what we do during an ergonomic evaluation is help you find the most neutral posture for your body, and make adjustments so that your environment supports that posture and makes it easier to maintain.

I hope that clears up some misconceptions. We’re not going to insist on perfection; instead, we’re going to help you find a comfortable position that’s easy for you to maintain. And if you happen to see an ergonomist wandering through your workspace, on the one day that you just happen to be slumping over your desk and leaning on one arm while sitting cross-legged, don’t worry - we really don’t give out tickets. But we can definitely help you unravel that posture and find a better one.