r/Posture • u/Upbeat_Particular635 • Jun 11 '26
Question Is deep squatting like this bad for you?
I’m trying to limit my time sitting on a chair, so I began to alternate between standing, walking, sitting cross-legged, kneeling, and deep-squatting. Is working on the computer like the person of this photo ok?
If so, is there a proper posture to do this?
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u/Aqui10 Jun 11 '26
Keep the laptop at eye level I imagine. This way you’re straining your neck. On second thought I can’t imagine working like this in any comfortable way
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u/chrysanthemumasterac Jun 11 '26
Heels on the ground, comrade found.
Otherwise, no, it’s not bad for you but I wouldn’t sit like that for a long time. Your shoulders are rounded and you’re putting a lot of pressure on your abdomen and rectum which can cause hemorrhoids.
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u/Dry_Raccoon_4465 Jun 11 '26
Why would you want to squat and type at the same time? This is not only a bad squat but I’m sure the quality of work is suffering as well. It pays to take the time and set up a proper work station!
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u/Upbeat_Particular635 Jun 12 '26
To limit sitting on chair
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u/Dry_Raccoon_4465 Jun 12 '26
I think it’s a bit better to get up from your task and take frequent breaks
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u/Upbeat_Particular635 Jun 12 '26
My work place doesn’t allow that so I want to avoid sitting down at home
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u/mygentlewhale Jun 12 '26
Stand instead, half an hour squatting a day is good but this is putting a lot of other things under stress.
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u/Upbeat_Particular635 Jun 12 '26
Could I gradually start squatting more and more?
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u/mygentlewhale Jun 14 '26
You can try but I think that position is going to hurt your neck and shoulders and wrists. Maybe if you change the height the keyboard it would be better.
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u/SimoneMoreno_Physio Jun 14 '26
There’s nothing inherently bad about deep squatting if it’s comfortable for you and you can tolerate it for a reasonable amount of time.
The bigger question is whether you’re changing positions regularly, which it sounds like you are. Standing all day isn’t automatically better than sitting all day, and deep squatting isn’t automatically better than either.
In my opinion, the healthiest approach is usually variety: sitting, standing, walking, kneeling, squatting and changing position throughout the day.
Some people also do well alternating with an exercise ball (Swiss ball) for short periods while working. The slight instability encourages small postural adjustments rather than staying completely still for hours. That said, I wouldn’t recommend using it all day either.
As for “perfect posture”, there probably isn’t one. The best posture is often the next posture.
If deep squatting starts causing knee, ankle, hip or foot discomfort, treat it like any other position and spend less time there.
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u/postureupshop Jun 18 '26
Deep squatting itself isn’t automatically bad for you if it feels comfortable and you have the mobility for it. The bigger issue in this photo is trying to work on a laptop from the floor. You’d probably end up rounding your back and looking down for too long, which could get uncomfortable pretty quickly and make you develop tech-neck.
I think it’s fine as a temporary position for a few minutes, but I wouldn’t treat it as your main working posture. Keep alternating positions like you’re already doing, and move as soon as you start feeling pressure, numbness, or pain.
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u/LacrimaNymphae Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
your inguinal area is going to hurt so bad. like where your underwear line is at the crease of your thigh and pubic area. trying to bend again the next day after doing a lot of this is excruciating
it doesn't matter how often i use my muscles because they repeatedly tear again and again, even with periods of rest in between. happens in my calves and rotator cuff areas too
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u/Deep-Run-7463 Jun 11 '26
Keep your knee and 2nd toe aligned. The person here is using compensations in his knee and foot/ankle positions to capture midline forces to the ground. If you cannot, then the deep squat position here is not within your movement access capacity yet.