If this sounds familiar (hi, its us!
), there is some good news and not-so-good news when it comes to sitting in the cross-legged pose.
The benefits of sitting in cross-legged pose
First, the good news.
Theres a reason why were naturally drawn to sit cross-legged.
Its not only comfortable, but it also provides your hips and butt muscles with a nice stretch.
So yes, there are somecross-legged pose benefits.
That said,sitting cross-leggedis not for everyone.
In these cases, its best to practice some of the otherbest sitting positions.
In turn, this could produce lower back pain or a feeling of fatigue.
It also adds stress to the joints of the hip and knee.
So how long can you sit criss-cross applesauce without the negative effects?
Again, the sweet spot is 20 minutes, max.
physical therapist and founder of The PHYT Collective
Ideally, Crawford says its best to assume a wide variety of postures throughout your day.
Theres a reason why were naturally drawn to sit cross-legged.
Its not only comfortable, but it also provides your hips and butt muscles with a nice stretch.
Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch
2.
Supine piriformis stretch
3.
IT band stretch
4.
Short dog
5.
Waterfall
Myths about sitting in cross-legged pose
1.
Sitting cross-legged is bad for your posture
There isno such thing as perfect posture, Crawford says.
So its not that sitting cross-legged contributes to bad posture.
Sitting cross-legged is bad for your knees
This sitting position isnt bad for your knees, Crawford says.
So if that is a concern for you, theres no need to ditch the cross-legged pose for good.
Itsvital that you dont round your back and hunch your shoulders forwardthink tall spine, Crawford says.
If your knees are elevated off the ground, try sitting on a yoga block or a thick blanket.
This will bring your hips a little higher than your knees and should feel more comfortable, Crawford says.
This will relieve added stress at the hips and knees.
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