Over time, poor posture may be caused by habits from everyday activities such as sitting in office chairs, looking at the computer, driving, standing for long periods of time, or even sleeping. Poor posture can easily become second nature, causing or aggravating episodes of back pain and damaging spinal structures. Fortunately, the main factors affecting posture are completely within one’s ability to control and are not difficult to change.
The following guidelines suggest several ways to improve posture and ergonomics, especially for people who work sitting in an office chair for most of the day.
1. Get up and move. As muscles tire, slumping, and other poor postures become more likely; this in turn puts extra pressure on the neck and back. One way is to take a break from sitting in an office chair every half hour for two minutes in order to stretch, stand, or walk.
2. Keep the body in alignment while sitting in an office chair and while standing. While sitting in an office chair, take advantage of the chair’s features. Any single position, even a good one, will be tiring. Leaning forward with a straight back can alternate with sitting back, using the back support of the office chair to ease the work of back muscles.
3. Using purses, bags, and backpacks that are designed to minimize back strain can also influence good posture. Proper corrective eyewear, positioning computer screens to your natural, resting eye position can also help to avoid leaning or straining the neck with the head tilted forward.
4. Being aware of posture at work, at home, and at play is a vital step towards instilling good posture . This includes making conscious connections between back pain and specific situations where poor posture may be the root cause of the pain.
5. Use exercise to help prevent injury and promote good posture. Regular exercise such as walking, swimming, or bicycling will help the body stay aerobically conditioned, while specific strengthening exercises will help the muscles surrounding the back to stay strong. These benefits of exercise promote good posture, which will, in turn, further help to condition muscles and prevent injury.
6. Wear supportive footwear when standing. Avoid regularly wearing high-heeled shoes, which can affect the body’s center of gravity and change the alignment of the entire body, negatively affecting back support and posture.
7. Remember good posture when in motion. Walking, lifting heavy materials, holding a telephone, and typing are all moving activities that require attention. Back injuries are especially common while twisting and/or lifting and often occur because of awkward movement and control of the upper body weight alone.
8. Avoid overprotecting posture. Remember that it is important to maintain an overall relaxed posture to avoid restricting movements by clenching muscles and adopting an unnatural, stiff posture. For individuals who already have some back pain, it is a natural tendency to try to limit movements to avoid the potential pain associated with movement.
The following guidelines suggest several ways to improve posture and ergonomics, especially for people who work sitting in an office chair for most of the day.
1. Get up and move. As muscles tire, slumping, and other poor postures become more likely; this in turn puts extra pressure on the neck and back. One way is to take a break from sitting in an office chair every half hour for two minutes in order to stretch, stand, or walk.
2. Keep the body in alignment while sitting in an office chair and while standing. While sitting in an office chair, take advantage of the chair’s features. Any single position, even a good one, will be tiring. Leaning forward with a straight back can alternate with sitting back, using the back support of the office chair to ease the work of back muscles.
3. Using purses, bags, and backpacks that are designed to minimize back strain can also influence good posture. Proper corrective eyewear, positioning computer screens to your natural, resting eye position can also help to avoid leaning or straining the neck with the head tilted forward.
4. Being aware of posture at work, at home, and at play is a vital step towards instilling good posture . This includes making conscious connections between back pain and specific situations where poor posture may be the root cause of the pain.
5. Use exercise to help prevent injury and promote good posture. Regular exercise such as walking, swimming, or bicycling will help the body stay aerobically conditioned, while specific strengthening exercises will help the muscles surrounding the back to stay strong. These benefits of exercise promote good posture, which will, in turn, further help to condition muscles and prevent injury.
6. Wear supportive footwear when standing. Avoid regularly wearing high-heeled shoes, which can affect the body’s center of gravity and change the alignment of the entire body, negatively affecting back support and posture.
7. Remember good posture when in motion. Walking, lifting heavy materials, holding a telephone, and typing are all moving activities that require attention. Back injuries are especially common while twisting and/or lifting and often occur because of awkward movement and control of the upper body weight alone.
8. Avoid overprotecting posture. Remember that it is important to maintain an overall relaxed posture to avoid restricting movements by clenching muscles and adopting an unnatural, stiff posture. For individuals who already have some back pain, it is a natural tendency to try to limit movements to avoid the potential pain associated with movement.
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