Posture is important for sitting in office chairs and at a workstation. Many of us spend hours in front of the computer, sit incorrectly on incorrectly adjusted chairs, even ergonomic ones.
Results: back pain or neck pain. Much of this pain may be avoided.
There are ten important rules for healthy posture on an office chair. They are as follows:
1. The feet should rest flat on the floor and not on the base. 2. Always keep in contact with the backrest. The spine should be upright. 3. As soon as you notice that you are sliding forward in the seat, correct your posture 4. Avoid leaning too far to the sides. 5. Do not lean to the side to pick things up off the floor. Turn the chair towards the object and lean forward, over the legs, to pick it up. 6. Do not cross the legs when sitting upright, as the pelvis will then tip backwards and the lumbar vertebrae will be in the wrong position. You can however, cross the legs when reclining, as the angle between the body and legs is then wide enough and the pelvis is already tilted backwards. 7. Practice dynamic posture as often as possible. 8. If your office chair has negative seat tilt, you should try sitting in an upright, unsupported position whenever possible. 9. When standing up, you should first move the upper body above the knees, keeping the spine straight and then straightening the knees. When sitting down, position the buttocks above the seat with the centre of gravity above the knee. Only then should you straighten the upper body. 10. Do exercises at your desk whenever you have the time.
Exercises
These are some examples of exercises that are simple yet very effective, which can be done while one is seated.
- Press your right hand firmly down towards the floor and at the same time stretch your neck upwards and to the left. Repeat on the other side. - Stretch both arms towards the ceiling. Holding your palms parallel to the ceiling, imagine you are pressing against the ceiling alternately with your right and left hand, breathing deeply as you do so. - Place your hands loosely next to your thighs. Sit up straight and unsupported. Now raise your left then your right hip alternately, keeping your shoulders horizontal.
