10 Tips to Have a Healthy Back at Work
Did you know over 80% of the working population will experience low back pain at least once in their lifetime?
Unfortunately, pain and tightness in lower back, shoulder and neck are very common and yet, they get ignored when we are trying to meet our deadlines and commitments. Bad posture and hunching over our keyboards and cell phones are usually the main reason of our back and/or neck pains. Now that the perfect spring weather is finally upon us, we need healthier backs and neck more than ever to be able to enjoy our favourite outdoor activities!
Here are 7 easy tips that you can follow at work to practice a better posture and have a healthier back:
Take frequent breaks. For every hour of sitting, stand up for 20 seconds and stretch.
Adjust your chair, table, keyboard, computer screen so that:
Your feet end up flat on the floor
Your ankles and knees are resting comfortably at 90 degree angles
Your arms are at your sides, with elbows at 90 degrees
Your wrists are in a neutral position
Your eyes look straight forward at your monitor
Never cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder
Keep everything on the desk close to you to avoid reaching
Try to carry a light bag with only the items that are necessary. If your bag is heavy, use a bag with wheels
Wear comfortable, low heeled shoes
Strengthen your core muscles. They are crucial to have a good posture and to reduce low back sprain and strain
Place a small towel or pillow in the curve of your lower spine to provide additional support for the low back when sitting
When lifting objects, bend your knees to lift with ease and void forward bending and twisting your body while bending
Downtown Toronto Chiropractors can work as part of your healthcare team to manage/prevent back and neck pain, headaches, soreness and stiffness, restricted mobility, and arthritis.
There are numbers of stretching exercise that you can do at work. One is called Brugger’s Exercise; sit at edge of chair, tuck your chin, rotate arms to your sides, spread fingers, lift your chest up and pull your shoulders back, “string pulling” your neck up, shoulders and chest back. You can repeat this exercise as many as you can.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can make your workplace “more ergonomically friendly” consult a Downtown Toronto Chiropractor today.
Reference:
Ontario Chiropractic Associations. BACK HEALTH AT WORK: OFFICE ERGONOMICS.
By: Dr. Farnaz Najm
Chiropractor, Acupuncture & SFMA provider
#healthyback #deskjob #ergonomics #backpain #neckpain #chiropractor
