Offices and working hours take a toll on the body. When you are under the extreme pressure of meeting deadlines, you typically have to sit for 12 to 13 hours a day, hardly moving your body. Working like this can lead to back pain and other health issues. Your health should be the first and foremost thing that you focus on, though oftentimes it gets neglected. That said, you do need to watch your eating habits, follow an exercise routine, and improve your working conditions if possible.
When you are spending long hours sitting at your desk, you are making your body muscles stiff and increasing tension on the supporting ligaments. This can cause immense pain and discomfort. According to a survey, it was found that around 50 to 60% of the working class will experience back pain at least once in their lifetime and in a typical year about 20% suffer from backache issues. With age, the problem of acute back pain turns into chronic back pain. Back pain can be minimized, though, by adjusting your workspace and developing healthy habits.
Here are some important tips from expert chiropractors to minimize back pain while you are at work:
#1 Focus On Creating An Ergonomic Workspace For Yourself:
An ergonomic workspace is when a person can reach out to all the things he or she needs without straining their muscles. When you follow proper working ergonomics, it will help in encouraging good posture.
#2 Keep Everything Within Your Arm’s Reach:
When you are arranging your desk and the essential things on it, keep important things within your arm’s reach. This will help you work in a comfortable manner and not strain your muscles when you reach for pens, tape, or your phone. Keeping your computer mouse next to your keyboard is advised, as is keeping your keyboard close to you.
#3 Take Into Consideration The Height Of The Monitor:
You can raise or lower your monitor screen so that it is at your eye level. In simple words, while working, your gaze should fall naturally on the area of your screen that you look at most.
#4 Manage Screen Brightness And Font Sizes:
When the brightness of your monitor screen is too low or too high, then you need to squint to read something. Besides brightness, you must also take into consideration the size of the font on your screen. These things will help in maintaining a good posture while reading the screen comfortably.
#5 Choose The Right Office Chair:
When you choose a perfect office chair for yourself then you can promote proper posture. While sitting, adjust the height of the chair. Choose a desk chair that can easily be adjusted to the height of the desk. Your elbows should sit at a comfortable angle with your desk. The chair should have an adjustable backrest. There should be 2 to 4 inches of space between your calves and the front of the chair, which is ergonomically correct and a very comfortable sitting position. Ergonomic chairs have adjustable armrests which can help prevent slouching.
#6 Practice Good Posture:
When you are working long hours without any physical movement, you tend to slouch or lean unknowingly. If you keep following this habit it will definitely lead to poor posture and undoubtedly cause serious back pain. Moreover, it can also be the reason for your chronic back problems if not corrected early. When you follow perfect posture habits, you will minimize the gravitational pressure on your spine in order to improve comfort and reduce the risk of back pain. Check out these healthy habits to maintain a good posture.
- Keep your head and neck aligned in such a way that they are directly above your shoulders.
- Keep your back properly aligned against the backrest of your chair.
- Keep your upper arms parallel to your spine by moving your chair closer to your desk.
- When sitting on the chair, ensure that your feet lay flat on the ground and do not cross your legs.
#7 Take Regular Breaks:
If you know that you have to work for long hours, just make sure that you are taking proper breaks. When taking a break, it’s a smart idea to drink juice or eat some healthy snacks. You can also stretch out your body and/or meditate. You want to eliminate the stiffness in your muscles and feel refreshed to work. Active breaks help increase your work productivity and keep you fit.
Summary:
Just because you work at a desk all day staring at a screen doesn’t mean you have to have back pain. There are several things you can do to prevent back pain while working at a typical office job, from utilizing the right chair to making sure you take breaks.
