FREEZE!
As you read this, what position are you in? Are you slouching? Did you fix your posture once you realized I had brought your attention to it? I hope so because POSTURE MATTERS!! Poor posture can lead to unnecessarily high loads through your joints and muscles which can CAUSE INJURIES over time. Think about holding a bowling ball close to your chest. Now think about holding a bowling ball at arm’s length. It’s easier to hold the bowling ball closer to you, it’s just physics. Now think of that bowling ball as your head. And your poor neck is represented by your arms. Every time your head shifts forward by just one tiny inch you are loading up extra work onto your neck muscles. Maybe you don’t realize you’re doing it because, you know, it’s just so you can read the fine print on your phone or computer screen, or maybe you haven’t gotten around to getting new glasses yet, or maybe you enjoy the “chin poke” look, but every little indiscretion adds up over time to a lot of extra work for your joints and muscles. FYI, they don’t like that.
I struggle as I write this to think of a joint that isn’t affected by poor posture. Neck injuries, rotator cuff injuries, wrist injuries, you name it. I personally have even injured my big toe from poor posture (I went through a phase where I decided it was easier to sit with my feet in “tippy toe” position rather than change the height of my chair. I’m not proud of it, but I feel like full disclosure is necessary). Basically, if you sit in the wrong position for a long enough time, something is going to start hurting. So… let’s avoid that shall we? Below is a quick overview of proper workstation setup and three tips for better workstation posture.
My Top 3 Desk Posture Tips!
1. BE A T-REX
If you suddenly woke up one day as a T-rex (yes, the dinosaur) you should still be able to do your job. That means if you are sitting up straight and “glue” your elbows to your side, everything that you need to use on a regular basis at your desk (keyboard, mouse, phone, etc.) should still be within your reach radius. As soon as you start reaching further or twisting your body or elevating your arms/shoulders in order to complete a task you are increasing the workload on your body.
2. CAN YOU SEE YOUR SCREEN PROPERLY???
This is important. Do you have reading glasses? Do you actually use them? Is your screen close enough to you? Is the font big enough? Is it the correct height? Again, head = bowling ball. Do your neck muscles a favour and make head position a priority.
3. BACKREST
Most people tell me they have a nice ergonomic office chair. My next question is, do you actually use said awesome ergonomic chair? Or, do you sit on the edge of your chair and lean on the desk. Please use the backrest. The backrest is there to help you stay upright, supported, and relaxed. Maintaining a proper lumbar lordosis (curve in your low back) rather than a big “C” shaped slouch is a major factor to overall posture.
4. A BONUS
Shoulders should be down, back, and relaxed. It’s not military posture we are going after, but if you continue to slouch you narrow the space for your muscles and tendons to maneuver. This can lead to impingement syndrome, which is no fun at all to get rid of.
Images from: https://shpare.com/greatest-25-ergonomic-desk-setup-images/