Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
In today’s digital age, many of us spend most of our day sitting down, whether it’s for work, studying, or watching tele. When it comes to work, you almost have no choice, but it can take a toll on your back and cause issues. Neglecting your spine health during long hours of desk work can lead to discomfort, pain, and having to take time off sick. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help prevent backache and look after your spine while still being able to get your work done.
1. Consider Your Desk Setup
Sit-stand desks have become very popular; these height-adjustable debts mean you can switch from standing to sitting regularly. It also means that you need to look for the best standing desk chair, which you can either remove permanently when standing up to work, perch on if you adjust the height or sit on as you would a regular office chair. If you are sitting in a chair, you need to ensure that your back is correctly supported along the spine curve. Consider a backrest or rolling a towel and placing it in the arch of your back.
2. Practice Active Sitting
How are you sitting right now when you’re reading this article? During the day, slipping into a slouched, sitting position or leaning forwards too much can be super easy. Both of these are bad for the back, and you need to practice active sitting where you get into the habit of regularly monitoring yourself to make sure that your back is straight, you have your feet flat on the floor, not tucked up under you and you keep your shoulders relaxed.
3. Stop and Move
It can be challenging to remember to stop what you’re doing and get up and move when you are trying to meet a deadline, or the phone won’t stop ringing. However, you must take regular breaks from your work, stand up, stretch, and even take a quick stroll around the office. The 20-20-20 rule is a great place to start. You work for 20 minutes and take a 20-second pause to focus your eyes on something that is over 20 feet away. This is good for your eyes but indirectly impacts your posture because you’re stopping and taking notice of your body. At the same time, you can make sure you’re sitting correctly.
4. Be Active
While there is no way out of earning money and going to work unless you win the lottery, you should spend some of your downtime compensating by keeping active. Walk to work in the morning, stroll at lunchtime or hit the gym after work. Walking the dog, doing housework, or dancing around the lounge to your favourite tunes. These are all great ways to help the body relax after a day in the office chair. Maintaining a healthy weight is also essential as this relieves some of the pressure on your discs, helping to keep your spine healthy.
