Around this time of the year most of us start to make our way back to work after a short but sweet festive break! For some of us this includes returning to an office job that requires lots of sitting!! While we can not get rid of our computers and tablets we can change our posture up a little to reduce the side effects of sitting for pre-longed periods of time!
While you read this feel free to put feet up on your desk instead of sitting upright and lets take a look down your back to see what actually happens when your sitting. The second you sit down the joints in your lower back start to compress this results in muscles tightening up, reducing the blood flow and your nerves are having to work extra hard.
Lets do a little virtual activity take your right hand and start squeezing your left wrist maintain that compression for 30 seconds…What did you notice? Your hand may of turned slight blue, loss of sensation perhaps some pins and needles may of occurred, or maybe you experienced some pain at the wrist joint? Now imagine that’s what happening to your spine when your sitting, now imagine the effects that will happen over 8 hours , a week, a month or even a year!
So what should one to do? All you need to do is vary your posture between sitting and standing throughout the work day. Your best posture is your next one. The benefits to having a fancy ergonomic set up or good posture are lost if you are not varying your poster from time to time. Changing your position regularly is one of the best strategies to limit repetitive strain of the body and the chronic musculoskeletal problems that come with.
- Change your posture consistently
- stand up for 5 seconds and stretch up
- put your feet up on your desk
- stand at your desk ( even if you don’t have a standing desk)
Take up the challenge and change your posture every 20 minutes. Making your next posture is your best one!
