Any time you take a seat, what is your sitting position like? Do you sit erect, do you lie down on your seat, or do you slump while you are seated? These are little observations that we should make because back pain, neck pain or body aches could be a result of a bad sitting posture, especially in your work place where you have to sit for a very long periods to work. Slumping on our seats might look like the most comfortable position to take, especially with that pile of work in front of you, but the damage it is doing to our backs should also be considered.
It could lead to the rupture of a disc, arthritis, increase in the risk of pins and needles feelings and degeneration and it can also lead to the strain of the structural scaffolding and tissues of your upper and lower back. The injuries done to the back might not be noticed until you need to pick something up, bend over or even exercise. Here are a few steps that you can take so you can avoid slumping and maintain a good sitting posture.
Change the height of your monitor
The health of your back is to some extent, determined by the height of your monitor at work. If your monitor is too high or too low, it might not be good for your back. The line of sight of your monitor should be horizontal, or up to 10 degrees down off the horizontal.
Adjust your chair
Adjusting your chair might be your key solution to achieving a healthy back. If your chair is too high, you will feel a little hunched on your chair. It is advisable that the chair should be adjusted to 10 degrees from the horizontal, giving your pelvis a forward tilt and your back an inward curving position.
Use a foot rest
Try using a foot rest at work. Research has shown that foot rests help to remove load and pressure from our lower back and also helps to remove weights from our thighs.
Sit properly
When your chair is in a perfect position, you should also help yourself by sitting properly. Try pushing your hips far back into the chair and keep your back and shoulders straight. Adjust the back of your chair and the arm rest.
Image courtesy of: mensfitness.com
