Good Sitting Positions for Your Knees

Good sitting positions for your knees are comfortable working postures in which the body's joints are naturally aligned. Maintaining proper positioning is important to long-term knee and joint care. Knee failure is a common issue among aging populations. This can be dissuaded by practicing a healthy, comfortable seated position. This is especially important for those who spend much of their workday seated at a desk. Even while maintaining a proper seated position, it is important to regularly get up, walk and stretch the joints.

Aligned

• A neutral seated position is important because it reduces stress and strain on the muscles, tendons and skeletal system. In a neutral position, knees should be kept at or slightly below the hip height. Feet should be firmly supported on the ground, using a footrest if necessary. Hips should be parallel to the floor, seated on a cushioned seat. Thighs should be horizontal to the floor, while lower legs are perpendicular to the ground and thighs.

Behind Knees

• Right behind your knees is a very sensitive area of tendons where many blood vessels and nerves pass. When the seat of a chair is too long, it may press against the back of your knee, putting painful, harmful pressure on this sensitive area. Adjust your chair for your body size. Ideally, there should be a distance of about three fingers between the back of your knees and the front of the chair.

Separated

• Keep your knees slightly separated while seated. When they are pressed together, they can cause tightness in leg muscles or hip pain. You can use a towel or small pillow to keep the knees slightly apart. If your knees tend to fall outward instead, another small towel or pillow can be placed between the chair side and your leg to stop your knees from falling to the side.

Knee-Level

• The midpoint of your knees should be slightly lower than the midpoint of your hips. This slope should not be dramatic, as this will result in a sliding sensation, which leads the seated body to tense feet. Adjust the chair height and angle to personalize the seated individual. While this may initially feel slightly uncomfortable or awkward, this is most likely because you are unaccustomed to a proper seated position.