Connections to Health - Are you sitting comfortably?

THE ISHTA HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTRE

CONNECTIONS to HEALTH

Are you sitting comfortably?

This month we are looking at posture in the office with some useful tips and a review of some useful aids to improve posture.

Do you look like a banana when you are sitting at the computer? It never ceases to amaze me how many bananas make there way into my office from all age groups. As a chiropractor a lot of my work involves giving lifestyle advice so that any changes we make with Chiropractic are maintained as best they can be. A lot of this advice includes looking at office ergonomics and the postures adopted in the work place. So here are some simple tips, links and reviews of products.

Be square on.

Regular computer users perform 50,000 to 200,000 keystrokes each day. Under certain circumstances and for vulnerable individuals, frequent computer use that involves awkward postures, repetition, and forceful exertions may be related to nerve, muscle, tendon, and ligament damage

In order to limit the damage of working at the computer the following is a useful guide, for adults and children.

DO:

Check the position of your screen.
Have your chair at the right height so your eyes are level with your screen and your knees are slightly lower than your hip joints.
Let your wrists rest on the desk.
Have your computer in front of you.
Let your feet sit flat on the floor and not tucked under your chair.
Keep your shoulders and back relaxed.
Take regular breaks away from your PC, maybe every 45 minutes.

DON'T :

Try to sit up straight.
Fix your eyes on the screen; keep looking away from the screen to exercise the muscles.
Lift your shoulders when typing or clicking the mouse.
Have any equipment where you need to twist constantly to access it.
Collapse your neck as you read the screen.
Use your PC in low light conditions.

Correct placement of your monitor.

This may help some individuals prevent eye strain, neck pain and shoulder fatigue by keeping the head and neck as straight as possible. Position the monitor:

About one arm's length (20 to 26 inches) away.
With the top of the viewing screen at eye level so you can see it clearly without looking up.
Position a document holder between the monitor and keyboard or right next to the monitor to avoid twisting your neck to view source material.

The Office Ball Chair.

The body is not designed to sit still even in the correct position for any length of time. The office ball chair is a revolutionary design that puts an exercise ball in a comfortable ergonomically designed chair. The ball helps to keep the spine moving and the chair provides support for the mid back, together this encourages good posture and helps to relieve stress on the spine. A similar effect can be obtained with a wobble cushion, this can be put on a seat whether it's an office chair or a dining chair. The advantage of the cushion is it is portable. Some people find a posture wedge more suitable. These products are available from Amazon and other sites on the internet.

Useful internet links.

This is a site with some simple but excellent exercises to do whilst at the computer:
www.essex.ac.uk/oh/healthinfo/stretches.htm

For children this site offers useful advice:
http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/cuweguideline.htm