No 1. Your best postures is your NEXT posture.
This is our number 1 rule. The spine simply loves movement so the ability to sit in a couple of different positions can be really useful. So, provided you don’t feel pain, let your back relax into the chair (yes go ahead, have a slouch – it’s safe to relax into spinal flexion and really nice let the back muscles have break), now after 5-10 mins change position, sit up straighter (with a lumbar support if you have one) bringing the spine out of flexion and closer to extension. After that follow top tip No. 2….. Simple 😊
NO 2. Get up and move.
Sitting in any posture is simply not what our spines want. Get up and out of your chair and do some squats, walk up the stairs, go to the wall or floor and do some wall press ups. Even grab some light dumbells or bottles of wine (if you have no weights) and lift them up overhead until you feel the muscles warm up – just get moving! It’s simple but massively effective to reduce tension, aches and pains.
No 3. Get your set up right.
Good ergonomics helps reduce persistent tension on the muscles so make sure you are tucked in close to the desk (remove arms on the chair if you can’t get close), top of the screen is raised level with eye level, shoulders and arms roughly 90/90 when resting on the keyboard. And for the sake of all physios please don’t have your A4 notepad between you and the keyboard – reaching over it will lead to neck and shoulder tension in no time!. Once your setup is right, apply rules 1 and 2 and you’ll have a great and healthy working routine.
No 4. No Laptops on your Lap!
Laptops and tablets are terrible for working posture. Ironically using a laptop while it is on your lap is a huge problem. When it’s on your lap it’s hard to change your posture, rule number 1! This means your spine will spend too long in one position and eventually leading to discomfort, aches, and pains. Adapting the same position for prolonged periods will cause problems down the line so get moving, change postures and get your ergonomics set up!
No 5. Learn to Relax your Sitting Posture.
Don’t get caught up in the “Perfect Posture” it’s more important for the spine to be comfortable in a range of positions. Learn to relax the back in sitting. Watch our video that details how to relieve neck and back pain brought on by your sitting posture.
If you are suffering from Back Pain, why not download our FREE Back Pain Guide,
