Summer Fun Comes with Sitting
With summer comes so many indoor and outdoor events that stick spectators in bleachers. I have family, friends, and clients who have kids in sports, swimming lessons, concerts, etc., and they end up spending hours sitting on hard bleachers. A client recently came to me with a great idea for a blog: she told me about how sore her tush was from sitting on bleachers the weekend before. She asked me how she could prevent “bleacher butt.”
What exactly is “bleacher butt?” Well, that’s when your butt hurts from sitting on bleachers for long periods, of course! The part that hurts is often the “sit bones,” or those bones you can feel in the middle of each glute (butt cheek). Bleachers are often made of metal or wood and are sturdy enough to hold many people in a small space. Consequently, the seats are very shallow. They often look much like what you see in the photo at the top of this page. When they are narrow and unsupportive, you must rely on your own postural muscles to keep you upright.
If we always sit in chairs with backs or curl up on soft couches, then sitting upright and unsupported can be tough . With constant supported sitting, we lose the smaller and larger postural muscles we need to sit unsupported. Additionally, if we sit with poor posture and get stuck in that posture, sitting unsupported is demanding work. This can lead to a sense of soreness throughout the whole body after sitting unsupported for hours.
How to Find Comfort on Bleachers
Let’s take a look at the photos below.
Photo 1: Engaged in the Game!
This is how most people sit on bleachers, at least at first. They are leaning forward and engaged in the event going on before them. There are two important things to notice. First, sitting at the edge of the bench puts most of the pressure into the sit bones. Second, leaning forward puts additional strain on the entire spine to hold the body upright when most of the upper body is forward from the center of gravity.
Photo 2: Getting Tired.
What tends to happen next is the back gets tired and starts to flatten out. You sink down, and the tailbone turns under. This can cause pressure on the tailbone, which can be very irritating over time. Flattening the back can also lead to disc issues over time.
Photo 3: Practicing good posture.
Sitting upright with your shoulders and head stacked over the hips takes a lot of pressure off your spine. Sitting with the hips in neutral is ideal. If you are unsure what that means, look at how the top of my hips are rolled back in photo 2 and forward to achieve the position in photo 3. They’re not completely rolled forward. If they were, my low back curve would be too deep. In photo 3, my low back curve is in my neutral or ideal position for sitting.
Photos 4, 5 & 6: Practicing variety.
In photo 4, I’m scooted back on the bench. This allows more of my thighs to be on the bleacher. Having more surface area of my body in contact with the seat takes some pressure off any one area, especially my sit bones. I’m still maintaining my good, neutral posture.
In photo 5, I’m crossing my legs and leaning to one side. This gives my hips a little variety and lifts one sit bone off the bench to allow blood flow back into the area. Photo 6 also shows some variety by tucking a foot under my hips. This position also gives my sit bones a rest. You can probably think of other ways you can practice variety.
Give Your Bleacher Butt a Break
Another obvious idea, but it bears repeating, is to get up and move. Get the blood flowing. Take a short walk, stand in the back for a while, or do a few quick stretches. What should you stretch? Think about which muscles shorten when you sit: the shoulders, hamstrings, hip flexors, and the backs of the knees. Stretching these areas will help a lot. Need some ideas? Check out my fascia self-care page.
Train Your Body with Floor Sitting
When it comes to sitting comfortably in the bleachers, training your body ahead of time with floor sitting could be your best option. Most adults only sit on the floor to play with small children, but it’s probably the best place to sit.
We aren’t made to sit in a chair for long periods, let alone hard, narrow bleachers. Floor sitting (without support) will help strengthen the muscles and joints you need for good posture. While you’re down there, try out many different positions and practice getting up without help. Your body will thank you in the bleachers and everywhere else for years to come.
Goodbye Bleacher Butt
We all look forward to summer sports and concerts, hopefully now even more so with these tips to avoid bleacher butt.
- Sit with variety. Don’t rely on one position to get you through nine innings.
- Practice good posture. Put the pressure on the ump, not your sit bones.
- Move your body. Talk a walk and stretch, even if it’s just to grab a hot dog.
- Train your body with floor sitting. Watch the next big game on your TV from the floor.
You can apply these concepts to many situations, including the office. But(t) for now, practice them when sitting on a hard bench or bleachers for the rest of the summer, and enjoy the game!
Not sure how to add more variety to your movements? My movement classes (I prefer movement over exercise) include lots of variety intended to challenge our often sedentary lifestyles and to create a body that can handle any situation, including the bleachers. For more in-depth information on movement variety and healthy aging, check out my Move Better, Feel Better course.
Want to learn more about posture? Check out my on-demand course that will have you doing so much more than “sitting up straight.”
Looking forward to trying these tips, but you’re still sore from the last game? Relax with some myofascial self-treatment, or join us for a workshop.
Amy Mayer OTD, OTR/L, RYT
Updated January 31, 2024
