Sitting Like This Can Bring Major Health Benefits As You Age

It’s well-established that spending too much time sitting (ahem, working at a desk) could have an impact on our bodies. Sitting all day can decrease muscle strength and is linked to bad health outcomes like heart disease.

But is all sitting created equal?

Some folks say sitting on the ground is actually good for your health, and should be done regularly ― a concept that almost seems too good to be true.

Below, experts shared with HuffPost the pros and cons of sitting on the floor — and why no one posture is ideal.

Sitting cross-legged on the ground can be good for mobility and flexibility.

Most adults likely don’t often find themselves frequently sitting on the floor in the cross-legged position. But kids who regularly sit and play on the floor may be onto something.

“I really think from a health benefits or a musculoskeletal condition standpoint, that [cross-legged sitting] posture really does help us with… hip, low back and knee range of motion,” said Dr. Christopher Bise, an assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of Pittsburgh. It also helps keep our lower body flexible, he said.

Dr. Jennifer O’Connell, a physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, added that “one of the problems with sitting in a chair is that it’s a position where your hamstrings tend to be tight — sitting in a cross legged position may help that somewhat.”

But if you aren’t able to get yourself down to the floor, you can still work on your mobility and flexibility.

“Remember that these positions don’t necessarily have to be on the floor. You can, on a couch, get in to the cross-legged sitting position, or you can use different sitting positions on the couch that will also increase your range of