People Getting Down-To-Earth

For many people growing up in Indian households, sitting on the floor was never considered exercise or wellness. It was simply a way of life. Over time, however, modern lifestyles slowly lifted us higher off the ground. Dining tables replaced floor mats, office chairs became unavoidable and long hours spent sitting at desks turned stillness into a daily habit.

Now, as conversations around mobility, posture and long-term joint health grow louder, floor living is quietly making a comeback. Sopan Muller, a writer and filmmaker from Mumbai says, “Our floor sitting arrangement is perfect for chilling, relaxing and having discussions with our friends. My partner also uses it to teach yoga.”

The growing interest is not really about rejecting furniture altogether. Instead, it reflects a larger shift toward moving more naturally in a world where sedentary lifestyles have become the norm.

Aanand Chabukswar, a renowned applied theatre practitioner from Pune, who works in theatre, therapy and teaching spaces, has had a floor-living lifestyle for a very long time. “We are extremely comfortable with floor living. It is our personal space for reading, writing and meditating and entertaining,” he says. Aanand has a meditation space, reading corner and chai-time space in his home.

According to Dr. Dilip Chand Raja S, Senior Consultant – Bone, Joint & Spine Surgery, Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, Chennai, floor sitting positions such as sitting cross-legged, kneeling, or squatting are deeply rooted in the way the human body was designed to move. “Traditionally, our joints have evolved to tolerate all these movements well,” he explains. “When performed with good mobility and muscle balance, these postures can help maintain flexibility of the hips, knees, ankles and spine.”

What makes floor sitting different from chair sitting is the amount of movement involved. Chairs often lock the body into one fixed position for hours, while floor sitting naturally encourages constant adjustment. A person may shift from sitting cross-legged to stretching their legs out, move into kneeling, or reposition their spine without even realizing it. These small movements keep the body engaged instead of passive.

Sudharsan K, Orthopaedic Physiotherapist, SRM Global Hospitals, Chennai says that prolonged chair sitting has gradually reduced the body’s natural mobility.

“Most chairs keep the hips and knees at 90 degrees, which limits deep hip flexion and ankle movement,” he explains. “Over time, this can contribute to hip stiffness, tighter calves and weaker glute muscles.”

Floor sitting exposes the body to a wider range of motion. Whether someone is kneeling, squatting, side sitting, or sitting cross-legged, the joints are constantly being challenged in healthier and more varied ways. This movement variability can improve balance, flexibility, posture and body awareness over time. For many adults, however, returning to the floor is not as easy as it sounds.

Dr. Raja points out that the problem is not the floor sitting itself, but the sudden transition. “When someone has spent years sitting on chairs and suddenly shifts to prolonged floor sitting, the joints are exposed to movements they are no longer used to,” he says. “The hips require greater rotation and flexion, the knees bend more deeply and the spine needs better postural control.”

As a result, beginners may experience stiffness, muscle soreness, knee pain, or lower back discomfort in the early stages. This is why experts strongly advise against forcing the body into prolonged floor postures too quickly. Instead, they recommend gradual conditioning.

Sudharsan suggests starting small by spending short periods on the floor while reading, stretching, or working briefly on a laptop. Interestingly, many experts believe that regular floor movement may also support healthier ageing. Dr. Raja often reminds patients that “motion is nutrition for joints.” When practiced correctly, floor-based movements can help maintain cartilage health, preserve flexibility, reduce stiffness, and improve overall functional independence.

Floor sitting is not suitable for everyone. People with severe knee arthritis, ligament injuries, meniscal damage, advanced hip arthritis, symptomatic lumbar disc problems, or recent spine surgeries should avoid aggressive floor sitting or deep squatting unless guided by a medical professional.

Another common mistake people make is ignoring pain because the posture is considered “traditional” or “healthy.” Experts stress that discomfort should never be dismissed. Sitting with a rounded lower back for long periods or forcing deep squats without proper flexibility can place unnecessary pressure on the spine and knees. Even getting up abruptly from the floor without enough balance or strength can increase the risk of falls, especially among older adults.

The idea behind floor living is therefore not about perfection or pushing the body beyond its limits. It is about reintroducing movement into daily life gently and sustainably. Leslie Fernandes, a merchant navy officer, says, “We have removed most of our furniture and opted for just a carpet in our living area. It gives us room and much space to move around.”

Perhaps that is why this shift feels less like a fitness trend and more like a return to something familiar. In many ways, the body still remembers movements that modern lifestyles slowly took away. Spending more time closer to the ground may not magically solve every posture problem, but it does encourage people to move more, sit differently, and reconnect with the natural flexibility that everyday life once demanded so effortlessly.

• Simple mobility exercises can also make a significant difference.

• Hip stretches, butterfly stretches, ankle mobility drills, cat-camel movements for the spine, and glute strengthening exercises help prepare the body to comfortably adapt to floor-based positions again.

• Squatting, kneeling, and transitioning from the floor to standing require coordination, balance, flexibility, and muscle strength — all abilities that naturally decline when movement becomes limited.