Experts reveal how to protect your posture whilst watching the Euros

Watching football is only meant to be done in three ways; from the sofa, from an unstable wooden chair in your local or from a too-small plastic chair in the ground - none of which are great for your posture.

Over the last fortnight or so, it feels like our entire lives have been consumed by the Euros whether you’re a football fan or not - and as of Wednesday (26th June) there are still approximately 33 hours of football to go with the knockout stages upon us, not including extra time and potential penalty shootouts.

That’s a lot of time sitting down, so ergonomic office furniture experts at Slouch have revealed how to protect your posture whilst watching the game to ensure you don’t have a bad back alongside a bad head.

Matt Ousby, innovation director and posture pro at Slouch says: “We’re obviously not expecting fans to be sat in ergonomic chairs whilst watching the Euros, however, it’s still important to protect your posture whether you’re watching it from the sofa or the beer gardens because if not it could lead to a range of issues, such as sore backs and bad necks caused by tension to muscles depending on the position your sitting in.”

Matt has shared his best tips on how to protect your posture while watching the match.

• Think about your foot position: Sit with your hips and back against the back of the seat - whether it’s the sofa or a chair, with your feet flat on the floor. “Whilst it may be tempting to put your feet up whilst watching the TV, this will cause strain on your neck and back” Matt explains.

• Make use of cushions: Especially if you’re watching from the sofa, putting a pillow behind your back can make a huge difference. Sofas tend to be quite low, so this can help reduce the depth and restore the curve in your spine. “Cushions can also be used under your knees, as this reduces the strain of your leg muscles from your back” Matt suggests.

• Take breaks: This is an obvious one for anyone looking to improve their posture, but especially key if you’re spending a considerable amount of time sitting in a chair or on the sofa. Matt suggests “When it gets to half time, or if the match has been paused - or even if it’s a particularly uninteresting game - take a few minutes to stand up and walk around, make a drink or go to the bar”

• Sit directly in front of the TV: It’s not just about getting the best view, it can also help with your posture, Matt explains “We’ve obviously been warned a lot about sitting directly in front of a screen - which is why we encourage you to take regular breaks - but sitting directly reduces the chance of you twisting or craning your neck to see, reducing strain and the potential for neck pain”