Why Conventional Sitting Becomes Pathogenic

And why the problem is not “your back,” but the way we are taught to sit

1. “Sit up straight”: a well-intentioned instruction with unintended consequences

For decades, ergonomic recommendations have promoted the same instruction: “Sit up straight, keep your back aligned, feet flat on the floor, elbows at 90 degrees.”

In theory, this so-called “correct posture” was meant to protect the spine, prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and make sitting more comfortable.

In practice, one observation is impossible to ignore: despite strict adherence to these rules, pain continues to rise. Lower back pain, neck and shoulder tension, pelvic discomfort, coccygeal pain, muscular fatigue—classic sitting postures, even when carefully adjusted, remain difficult to sustain over time.

The reason is both simple and unsettling: the human body is not designed to sustain prolonged immobility, even in postures that appear biomechanically correct.

2. The pelvis: the central regulator of balance

When standing, balance is maintained by a finely tuned regulatory system. Ankles, hips, and spine work together to keep the center of gravity within a stable zone.

At the heart of this system lies the pelvis.

• It integrates adjustments coming from the feet and hips,
• Redistributes compensations throughout the spine and torso,
• Allows the body to remain upright with minimal muscular effort.

The pelvis is not a rigid structure. It is a dynamic regulator, constantly accompanying subtle movements of tilting, rotation, and oscillation. These continuous micro-adjustments are essential for preserving fluidity, efficiency, and long-term comfort in the musculoskeletal system.

3. What changes when we sit on a conventional seat

In a traditional seated position, the entire balance system is disrupted:

• The base of support is reduced to the ischial tuberosities (“sit bones”),
• The hips are locked in flexion,
• The pelvis is wedged against a backrest or fixed on a flat surface,
• The feet no longer actively participate in balance regulation.

As a result, the pelvis loses its regulatory function. It becomes immobilized in a near-fixed position. The adjustments that are normally distributed throughout the body while standing are now concentrated in a limited number of anatomical zones.

This marks the beginning of a vicious cycle:

• Deep stabilizing muscles enter sustained hypertonicity,
• Fascial tissues lose their capacity for glide,
• Nerves are subjected to indirect mechanical stress,
• Intervertebral discs experience prolonged, localized pressure.

4. Prolonged immobility on rigid support: a high-risk mechanical environment

Remaining seated on a rigid, immobile surface produces two simultaneous effects:

First, the postural regulation system is progressively deactivated. Muscles designed for fine, adaptive control are forced into static contraction or functional inhibition. The continuous recalibration of balance ceases.

Second, internal mechanical and tissue stresses accumulate. Circulation slows, hydration of tissues decreases, ligaments stiffen, fascia adheres, and neural sensitivity increases.

Over time, this mechanical environment becomes highly conducive to the development of:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs),
• Chronic lumbar, cervical, and interscapular pain,
• Myofascial syndromes and trigger points,
• Pelvic, pudendal, and coccygeal pain,
• A persistent sensation of stiffness, fatigue, and discomfort.

Conventional sitting becomes pathogenic not because posture is “incorrect,” but because immobility suppresses the body’s natural regulatory mechanisms.

5. The real issue is not posture, but the absence of movement

Most ergonomic models continue to search for the “ideal” sitting posture. From a biomechanical standpoint, one conclusion is unavoidable:

There is no sitting posture that remains sustainable if it is immobilized.

What drives pain is not merely seat shape or backrest angle, but:

• The loss of micro-movements,
• The inability of the pelvis to continuously regulate alignment,
• The deactivation of natural stabilization mechanisms,
• The fixation of mechanical stress in over-loaded areas.

In short, it is not posture itself that matters, but the body’s ability to regulate posture through movement.

6. Why musculoskeletal disorders increase with prolonged sitting

MSDs are often attributed to poor posture, inadequate chairs, or improper workstation setup. While these factors play a role, they do not fully explain the scale of the phenomenon.

The critical link lies between:

• Loss of pelvic mobility,
• Disruption of compensatory regulation,
• Progressive accumulation of mechanical and tissue stress.

The locomotor system ceases to function as a load distributor and shock absorber. Prolonged sitting then becomes an ideal environment for chronic pain to emerge and persist.

7. Breaking the deadlock of traditional sitting

Escaping this cycle does not require adding more cushions or rigid supports. It requires a paradigm shift:

• Moving from frozen posture to movement-regulated posture,
• Restoring the pelvis to its central role in balance,
• Allowing the body to remain within a zone of dynamic stability rather than resisting imposed immobility.

Some seating systems have been specifically designed to address this biomechanical deadlock by restoring controlled pelvic mobility instead of enforcing static alignment.

8. Aporia^®: restoring regulated movement while seated

Conventional seats remain passive: they support the body without participating in its regulation.

In contrast, the Aporia^® ExoBase was designed to:

• Restore pelvic micro-movements through a curved base,
• Support fine, continuous adjustments via four multi-articulated pads,
• Maintain dynamic balance, making slumping mechanically impossible,
• Preserve tissue glide and circulation, essential for preventing chronic inflammation.

Sitting is no longer a frozen state, but an active regulatory process. The body can rebalance continuously, tensions are redistributed rather than accumulated, and postural fatigue is reduced.

9. In summary: the problem is not you, but an immobilizing seating model

If you have tried ergonomic chairs, precise adjustments, or memory foam cushions without achieving lasting relief, the issue is not individual failure.

The real limitation lies in a seating model based on immobility.

As long as the pelvis remains fixed, micro-movements are suppressed, and postural regulation is deactivated, sitting will continue to generate pain.

The solution is not to “sit better,” but to reintroduce movement at the core of sitting, restoring the pelvis to its role as the conductor of balance.

This is the mission of Aporia^®: transforming sitting into dynamic equilibrium, allowing the body to do what it was designed to do—move to remain healthy.

Want to go further?

Discover how Aporia^® seating recreates the natural mechanisms of balance in a seated position—and how restoring controlled movement can help break free from the vicious cycle of sitting-related pain.