The correct posture at work is extremely important. Sitting at a desk job the whole day can cause put you at risk of ill health. The risk is increased when you sit incorrectly with a wrong posture when working at a computer. Doctors say that such conditions are the prime cause of rapid fatigue, muscle and joint pain. The only way to remedy this is to practice the correct posture at work. Here’s what the specialists say.
Leg Pain
Never cross your feet or legs. It decreases blood circulation, constricts veins and can cause discomfort and numbness in your legs including restless leg syndrome. Adjust your office chair so that your feet don’t hang as that could result in swollen feet. The edge of your seat should never press under your knees. Your feet should be placed on the floor or on a stand to ensure your legs are bent at an angle of slightly more than 90⁰
Ref: NCBI habitual leg crossing
Back Pain
The depth of your office chair should match the length of your hip. This helps you maintain the correct posture at work. If you have a large chair, the place a semi hard pillow beneath your waist that will absorb the load. This will prevent you sliding down and slouching which is bad for spinal health. It also causes spinal tension and back pain. Your chair should feature a comfortable back rest with a natural curve which prevents your back from getting into the shape of a question mark.
Sitting in the correct posture may take a bit of time getting used to even if you feel uncomfortable; remain in that position as the discomfort will soon pass. Your muscles will eventually relax and you will feel comfortable after awhile.
Ref: Spine health
Tired Hands
Your hands are always in constant tension when working at a computer. The wrong position will cause a dull and nagging pain especially in the tendons in your elbows and the upper fore arm. In fact, the wrong posture while typing can even cause similar problems every morning. Only if your mouse and keyboard are placed at elbow level can you maintain the correct posture for your shoulders and forearms. Your wrists too, should be straight and not turned at the sides. Your hands should be bent at the elbows in a 90 ⁰ angle and lie freely on the table
Ref: mayoclinic
Neck Pain
Neck and head pain is a common cause of incorrect posture at work. Your monitor position is important to prevent this. A monitor that is too low will make you bend your back and slide down in your chair. This increases the load on the front edges of the intervertebral discs which can result in a protrusion or a hernia. To find out the correct posture do this
While sitting on your chair, close your eyes and relax your mind and body. When you open them, the point at the center of your screen should be directly in front of you. Place a stand beneath the monitor to make it eye level. Your monitor screen should be directly in front oif you and not to the side. This minimizes the load on your eyes and neck.
Ref: webmd,
Sore and Tired Eyes
Working for long hours at a computer results in computer vision syndrome. This causes blurry vision, dry eyes, redness, headache and irritation. Again position your monitor so that the center is at eye level at a distance of 50 cm from your face.
Remove the glare from your monitor screen. If your monitor is near a window, draw the curtains. Adjust contrast, brightness and font size. Always zoom in at least 120% to 130% while typing a word doc. Wearing special glasses while working is a good idea to filter part of the spectrum. This protects eyes making them less tired. Eye exercises are also important. If you have been working constantly, take a visual break by looking out the window. Scan your room with your eyes and do this every hour for 20 seconds. Simple eye exercises will also be helpful.
Ref: allaboutvision
Increased Fatigue
Any person leading a sedentary lifestyle combined with the habit of eating too many sweets, processed food and sugar is at a high risk of cholesterol and plaque collecting in the inner walls of your arteries. Veins start stretching and even valves cannot cope with normal function,. The rusting symptoms are fatigue and pain, in the legs and feet, leg swelling and high blood pressure. The symptoms increase in the evening,
The key to combating a sedentary lifestyle because of a desk job is to maintain the correct posture, exercise at least twice or thrice a week, walk instead of using transport, take the stairs instead of the lift. Go for a coffee break and walk around your office. However the most important rule to good health is to abide by a healthy and nutritious diet.
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