Do you look like any of those people in the cartoon? Straining to see your computer? Hunched over typing away? If so, you are doing a great disservice to your overall health and well being. A lot of people think poor posture just looks bad. While that is true, it also is the main culprit for pain in the upper and lower back, neck and arms.
Poor posture leads to overactive and stretched out muscles which leads to more pain which leads to even worse posture to try and make yourself “comfortable”!
It’s a vicious cycle that NEEDS to be broken.
What can you do??
The very first thing you need to do is become aware of your static posture. Or your posture when your body is not in motion.
- Are your feet both flat on the ground?
- Are you using an adjustable chair?
- Are your shoulders relaxed and not hiked up near your ears?
- Are your hips slightly higher than your knees?
- Do your lower arms rest on the desktop?
- Is the top of your monitor at eye level or slightly lower?
- Are your wrists in neutral position?
If you answered no to even one of these questions, you are setting yourself up for posture related pain and stiffness.
The next step is to adjust yourself. Set a timer for every 15 minutes to remind yourself that you need to correct your posture. You poor posture has become a habit and you can break that habit by re-training yourself. Follow the diagram below to ensure you are sitting properly and pain-free.
Next up will be workplace stretches and exercises to help keep your body free from the pain of sitting all day long!