Stop Slouching and avoid back pain at work.
If you are one of the thousands of office workers that suffer from either back pain, neck or shoulder pain after sitting at your desk for hours on end, consider this. Our bodies are made to move. Our spines are full of joints to enable us to bend and twist in all directions. So it is hardly surprising that sitting in one static posture position for prolonged periods will cause pain and discomfort.
Try these tips while you work:
- If you work at your desk for long periods of time, get up regularly to give your spine a break. We suggest setting your phone alarm to go off every hour to remind you to stand up, nip to the bathrooms (even if you do not need to go its good to walk around) and enjoy a glass of water (helping you remain hydrated as well as your disks in the spine)
- Every time you take a phone call stand up (others may look at you inquisitively at fist, but in the long run they will actually copy you)
- Your body sets its self in after 20mins of sitting. Moving for less than a minute will give your back a chance to move.
- Make sure that your chair is set at an height so that your eyes are level with the top of the monitor of your PC.
- Your PC and keyboard should be straight in front of you, not to the side, try lowering your chair or raising your keyboard height so you have to sit up to be able to type (rather then slouch down to the keys)
- If you feel you are overstretching, bring your PC monitor and keyboard closer to you
- Make sure you sit up in your chair, and that your bum and shoulder blades are in contact with the backrest which is fully supporting and are fully supporting you.
- If you have back pain, you may find it helps to place a small rolled up towel in the small of your back for support.
- During your break try to stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps and calf muscles as well as your lumbar region. This is to help maintain your flexibility and avoid or reduce further lower back pain.