People sometimes think of office work or being able to drive for work as harmless jobs. These individuals don’t realize that there are risks that come with having to sit for prolonged periods. It is imperative that people who do these jobs know how ergonomics can impact their life.
Slouching when you sit can lead to an overstretching of the spine. This puts pressure on the discs and can lead to the ligaments suffering damage. You might notice that you have neck, back, arm, and leg pain if you’ve been sitting in an unnatural position for too long. Instead of suffering through that pain, you can use these tips to reduce the impact prolonged sitting has on your body.
Take breaks often
Sitting for a long period isn’t advisable for anyone. Instead of remaining seated for the entire day, be sure to get up and move around. Even a minute or two every 30 minutes is beneficial. If you’re driving, try to stop often just to walk around. This gives you a chance to loosen up your tendons, muscles, joints and ligaments. The movement can also help your blood circulate better.
Sit straight
You should sit with your back as straight as possible. Your buttocks should be pressed against the back of the chair. This enables you to use the lower back support of the seat or chair. You should feel a slight forward bend in your lower back when you sit. The slight arch will prevent you from slouching forward when you get tired.
Use arm rests
The purpose of an arm rest isn’t to reduce fatigue on your arms. Instead, using them takes the pressure off your neck and shoulders, which can reduce the fatigue and pain in these areas. If you have adjustable arm rests, consider elevating them slightly so that your arms lift a tiny bit at the shoulders, which will increase the relief.
Address pain
While most people will experience stiffness sometimes, it shouldn’t be a constant factor in your life. You also shouldn’t feel pain in your back or neck on a regular basis. If you feel as though something is amiss, visit a doctor for an evaluation.
Some repetitive motion injuries start off as minor annoyances and progressively get worse until they are serious problems. If you end up having to seek medical care or miss work for a prolonged period due to work-related back or neck injuries, workers’ compensation coverage comes into the picture.
