Is Sitting Indian Style in the Office Chair Bad for You?

Working in front of a computer screen in a business-like position often feels exhausting.

I usually experience restlessness after sitting in the same place for a long time. And that is when I switch to an Indian sitting style. 

This article will provide vital information about the Indian sitting style in the Office Chair.

Read on to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the sitting Indian style at work.

What Does Indian Sitting Style Mean?

Indian sitting style may sound confusing to a lot of people. It is usually mistaken for cross-legged sitting. However, it is entirely different from that. 

Cross-legged sitting means to sit on the floor with legs bent so that the knees point outward, whereas sitting in the Indian style is compared chiefly to Sukhasana, which means an easy pose.

This position involves crossing your legs and not letting them dangle on the floor.

Indian style of sitting is popular when performing Yoga or meditation. This position usually improves the level of concentration.

Nowadays, many Americans call the position criss-cross apple sauce. 

In the Eastern European Nations, the Indian sitting style is also called the Turkish Sit. However, it is commonly known as sitting cross-legged.

People have been sitting in this position for many years, and in ancient India, the position was the Lotus Position. 

Indian sitting style adds flexibility to the ankles, knees, and hips and ensures suppleness.

Moreover, it also encourages the development of muscular strength. It automatically improvises the body posture and keeps the back straight. 

Is Sitting Indian Style in Office Chair Healthy?

We spend most of our time in Office Chairs. Sitting in the same space in the same position for a prolonged time cultivates the risk of having specific health issues. 

If you are not used to the position, you may face some problems. You may find it much more difficult to bend your legs in the Indian style position.

Since the position does not allow you to have any back support, you may find it difficult initially.

However, the feature will make you feel easier to work in different positions, reducing the tiredness of muscles.

Sitting in the Indian style in an office chair has some exciting health benefits. Let us discuss some of the significant ones in brief. 

1. It Helps to Relax Your Mind

Indian style of sitting helps relax your mind and keeps you at peace.

The best part about the sitting posture is that you are practicing Sukhasana and Yoga simultaneously while doing your job. 

The Indian style of sitting makes you calmer than before. It helps to relax your spine and muscles for a better purpose. 

2. It Improves the Posture 

While sitting in an Indian Style, you won’t be able to slouch or hunch. It makes you extra aware of your position while working on the chair. 

As a result, you will concentrate more on maintaining a proper posture.

Sitting Indian style encourages you to make your back straight. Moreover, it also helps in lengthening your spine. 

3. It Improves the Blood Flow 

While sitting in a normal position in a chair, the blood flow pattern is opposite towards the legs.

However, in an Indian style of sitting in an office chair, the blood flows naturally through the heart to the digestive organ.

The most crucial element for digestion is blood circulation. While sitting in the Indian style, our nerves can relax and reduce the pressure on them.

4. Makes the Body Strong and Flexible 

Sitting Indian style in an office chair helps boost your energy and flexibility. It stretches your stomach and lower back muscles. 

The stretch in the muscle helps to reduce the strain on particular areas. It eventually makes your body much more robust and more flexible than before. 

5. It Improves the Digestion

Sitting in an Indian style improves your digestion. It keeps the abdomen and the lower Back in a completely natural position. 

The natural position ensures the digestive enzymes flow even better, which helps to improve the entire process of digestion.

The increased secretion of stomach acids makes it easy to digest your food. 

Regular practice of lotus posture aids in the overall blossoming of the practitioner, just like a lotus, hence the name Padmasana. 

Is Sitting in Indian Style in Office Chair Bad?

When you sit in an Indian style, you may find difficulty balancing yourself. Your legs can create pressure against each other.

There are also chances of your ankles receiving more stress, leading to ankle pain and overextension. Moreover, Indian style sitting usually puts your feet to sleep. 

Sitting in Indian style is not entirely harmful, but only if you practice it for a short period.

Too many hours in front of the computer in an Indian style of sitting has numerous complications. 

Since maintaining an ergonomic position is very difficult in the case of the Indian sitting style, most people do not recommend it in the Office Chair. 

Let’s go through some disadvantages of sitting in an Indian style office chair;

1. It Causes Pain in the Back

Sitting in an Indian style in your Office Chair might hurt your Back.

Since you won’t be able to lean back on any support system, it may be difficult to keep up with the balance. 

It tightens the back, pelvic floor muscles and pulls under your tailbone.

Eventually, it becomes difficult for you to sit up straight during the Indian style of sitting position. 

2. Knee Ache and Swelling 

If you are not used to sitting in an Indian style, you can experience difficulty and pain in your knees. In some cases, you may even feel swelling around the knee area. 

Sitting in an Indian style causes over-stretching of the ligaments and muscles surrounding your knee.

As a result, the pressure on your knee increases, leading to pain and swelling. 

Related Article: How to prevent feet swelling when sitting in an office chair?

3. Numbness in the Leg 

While sitting in an Indian style in an office chair, I deal with the problem of numbness. It happens to me often. 

When you sit in this position for an extended time, the pressure can briefly compress the nerves in your legs.

In general, compression prevents the brain and the nerves in the legs from two-way communication. 

As a result, your leg starts feeling numb. We call it paresthesia in terms of medical language. However, most people say that their leg has fallen asleep. 

4. Lack of Ergonomic Value 

We spend a lot of time in an office chair; thus, it is essential to consider ergonomic values and support.

However, with the Indian style of sitting, it is impossible to attain the ergonomic standard.

Ideally, while sitting on a chair for work, your knees must be at a 90-degree angle, and your feet should be flat on the floor. 

Sitting in an Indian style does not ensure ergonomic standards while sitting in an office chair. Therefore, it is not considered healthy, especially on a chair. 

When sitting in an Office Chair, the back should recline at around 100 to 130 degrees with the bottom pressed against the back of your chair. 

You can also read our article: Should Office Chair Recline? 

5. Causes Pain in the Hips 

While sitting in an Indian style in an Office Chair, the tendons in the hip may be inflamed. Moreover, a break in the tendons also occurs due to compression or overloading. 

Therefore, you may experience a certain kind of pain in your hips. You may feel stiffness and pain in the hip while bending to perform tasks.

Moreover, you may also experience swelling and tenderness of the hip. 

Avoid sitting in an Indian style in an Office Chair for a long duration as it may induce sciatica. Be sure to maintain a good posture while sitting.

6. Strain in the Neck 

Sitting in an Indian style may cause strain on your neck. The main reason behind neck strain is an injury to the muscles supporting and moving the head and neck. 

It is essential to use an office chair with neck support to sit comfortably.

Sitting for long hours in an Indian style in the office chair does not support your neck. 

While sitting in an Indian style, you may not be able to position the monitor correctly. The monitor should always be 50-100 cm away from you.

The monitor should be at a distance so the user can focus on the screen while still using the back of the chair. Moreover, the arms should be parallel to the upper body. 

Moreover, sitting in a cross-legged position in an office chair can look unprofessional.

Is There Such a Thing as Cross-Legged Office Chairs?

Sitting in an Indian style during work can be difficult in a regular chair.

The chair must be wide enough to lift your legs off the floor and cross them in front of you. You can find such a chair designed by different companies. 

For instance, the Ikaria Design Company designs an active sitting chair. The chair allows you to cross your legs in front of you comfortably. 

The Cross-Legged chair usually consists of a relatively comprehensive platform. 

This chair also has a small raised podium similar to a yoga block. Moreover, the chair is adjustable and consists of multiple levels that help you change positions. 

While trying different positions, you will feel less strain on the joints and muscles at work. Furthermore, it helps you to strengthen your core.

The chair does not contain any back support. Therefore, you won’t be able to lounge on it. 

Given on the table are some Office Chairs to sit in a Cross Legged position.

Read more to discover the best office chairs for sitting in a cross-legged position.

Final Verdict 

Sitting in an Indian style in an office chair may sound new to many people.

Moreover, most people practice this position only on the floor while performing Yoga. 

Since it has pros and cons, you can always consider your choices. You can always prefer the position to avoid office fatigue. 

If you feel tired sitting in the same position for long hours in your office chair, opt for the Indian sitting style. But make sure you do not take the posture for too long. 

Read more: Can you sleep sitting in an office chair?