Watch your posture!
Have you caught yourself being slumped in the chair? Do you have an achy back or do you suffer from neck pain at the end of a long day?
You may know that you need to improve your posture but you may not be sure how to start. But fret not, it is not rocket science to fix a poor posture!
Here is a checklist with simple strategies to help you get started.
Correct your posture!
Aside from sitting or standing for a prolonged period of time, sitting or standing with poor posture can also lead to pain in your muscles and joints. Example of a common seated posture is to sit forward in the chair or couch with the back rounded. This typically leads to a slumped posture with the shoulders rolled forwards and head sticking out forwards. This posture may seem comfortable at the time but it puts the spinal muscles in a stretched position, thereby causing an increase in the pressure on the spinal discs, muscles and joints. This leads to long-term changes in posture associated with nagging aches and pains and can lead to issues such as slip disc or degeneration of the spine.
Here are some ways to tackle these postural deviations:
1. Sit back in the chair so that your bottom touches the back of the chair. This will prevent you from slouching as you don't have the space behind your back to slouch in to.
2. The top of your computer screen should be 5-10 degrees below the horizontal gaze from your eyes. This will prevent your from sticking your head forwards.
Here are some ways to tackle these postural deviations:
1. Sit back in the chair so that your bottom touches the back of the chair. This will prevent you from slouching as you don't have the space behind your back to slouch in to.
2. The top of your computer screen should be 5-10 degrees below the horizontal gaze from your eyes. This will prevent your from sticking your head forwards.
Take a break from work and mini breaks while you are still working!
Our bodies are not meant for static postures. Sitting in your office chair or standing for prolonged periods of time can increase the stresses on the spine as the spine is constantly loaded in these positions. Also, prolonged static postures cause your muscles to tighten which subsequently increases the stress on the joints and can cause aches and pains in the body. Try and get up to walk around every twenty minutes for just a minute or two. Better still if you can do a few simple stretches in these two minutes.
Here are some tips to take mini breaks while still working and preventing stresses on the joints and muscles of your hip, knee and ankle at the same time:
1. When sitting, try using a stool under your feet to avoid them from dangling in the air.
2. If you have the habit of crossing your legs over or crossing one leg under your bottom, make sure you balance it out by doing the same on the other side as well.
3. If you use a standing desk put equal weight on both the feet and if you need to stand for a long duration, shift the weight from one foot to the other.
4. When using standing a desk, use a stool under your desk to take the load off one foot and then swap feet. This can be done every hour or two.
1. When sitting, try using a stool under your feet to avoid them from dangling in the air.
2. If you have the habit of crossing your legs over or crossing one leg under your bottom, make sure you balance it out by doing the same on the other side as well.
3. If you use a standing desk put equal weight on both the feet and if you need to stand for a long duration, shift the weight from one foot to the other.
4. When using standing a desk, use a stool under your desk to take the load off one foot and then swap feet. This can be done every hour or two.
Stretching
Stretching helps to improve flexibility of a muscle and maintain the range of motion of the joints. If not stretched the muscles may shorten and become tight. When used for any activity then these muscles are unable to perform in their full length, potentially leading to aches and pains in the muscles and joints.
Here are some simple stretches can be done 1-2 times every one to two hours while you are sitting at your desk:
1. Roll your shoulders in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction.
2. Start with your neck in neutral. Look all the way to the right and then the left, moving only your neck while keeping the body static.
3. Tilt your head to bring your ears closer to your shoulder without shrugging your shoulders.
Here are some simple stretches can be done 1-2 times every one to two hours while you are sitting at your desk:
1. Roll your shoulders in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction.
2. Start with your neck in neutral. Look all the way to the right and then the left, moving only your neck while keeping the body static.
3. Tilt your head to bring your ears closer to your shoulder without shrugging your shoulders.
To learn more desk based exercises you can go to https://bit.ly/deskexs
Do you need additional help to correct your posture?
Do you get the feeling that you can’t sustain a good posture even with the best intentions because your back or neck starts to hurt in a ‘good’ posture? If you do feel this way, you are not alone .... don’t give up yet! Maintaining a good posture is as vital as being able to sustain it over a period of time.
Join my free community where I guide you to move towards a good posture and maintain it using simple strategies. We recently did a series on the "Posture tips and tricks" that tells you all about how to maintain and achieve a good posture.
Join my free community where I guide you to move towards a good posture and maintain it using simple strategies. We recently did a series on the "Posture tips and tricks" that tells you all about how to maintain and achieve a good posture.
