Improve Your Posture at Your Desk

Poor posture in the office can lead to head and back strain which for some people can be mildly irritating while for others it can be completely debilitating. In this short post we’re going to look at some tips to improve your posture, set up your desk for optimum posture and reduce low back pain from hours of sitting.

Let’s begin…

The recommendations for optimum seated posture include keeping your chin parallel to the floor, having your elbows bent at 90 degrees when resting on your desk and having your shoulders pulled back and down to maintain good spinal alignment. These simple tips can be improved upon with the addition of a lumbar support or preferably an ergonomic chair with lumbar support built in.

Your low back has a natural curve to it and this evenly distributes the weight of the upper body across the lumbar vertebrae causing the least amount of stress of the other spinal structures, such as discs and ligaments. When you slouch or sit in an awkward position you load these other structures which often leads to injury or the onset of low back pain.

Another simple tip is to get up and move around more. Depending on whether your job allows it simply get up every 30 minutes and go for a stroll or simply stretch and move your body. This can cause relief of any tension in your muscles and aids in blood flow through those muscles. Simply set a timer to beep every half an hour to remind you to get up and move.

In terms of your neck and head it is important that you have the correct eyewear ie glasses or contact lenses and that your screen is set at your natural eye height. Both of these factors reduce your need to strain forward to read your screen. Hours of this strain, or forward head posture, can lead to both neck issues and headaches, neither of which are pleasant.

Exercise is important. There are specific exercises you can do to strengthen your back and core muscles to support you for hours of sitting. While going to the gym is great for getting stronger many of these exercises are simple and can be done at home with minimal equipment needed. There are some great Yoga poses that are perfect for your posture and both Pilates and Alexander Technique are very effective at improving alignment of your spine and strength in your core muscles. A few sessions of any of these types of exercise can work wonders on your posture.

There you are, some simple ways to improve your posture and take the strain off your low back. Apply these tips today and watch your back pain melt away.