Protect Your Back at Work

 

MANY OF US ARE WORKAHOLICS (ADDICTED TO WORK), we sit through most of our day, often in the same position, hour after hour, talking on the phone and staring at computer screens.

                           
                                       Is it any wonder we’re stiff?

 Most of us let our chests fall forward and slump when we sit, which dramatically increases the pressure on the spine.

               “Sitting hurts your back more than standing,”

Dr.krishi says it is more imp to have common sense than excess subject knowledge

·        Position your computer properly. You should be seated at eye level to your screen, so that you don’t have to look too far down or too far up to do your work.

·        Sit smart. You don’t necessarily need the perfect, custom ergonomic chair, “There are lots of expensive, ergonomic chairs, but nothing replaces common sense.” Get a chair that provides support for your middle and lower back. “If your knees are at 90 degrees and your spine is at a neutral posture, that’s the right position for you.”

·        Use a footrest. “If  your feet are supported on something, it makes it easier to rest on your back

·        Take a break. Set a timer on your computer and, every 45-50 minutes, get up for a few minutes to stretch and walk around. When you sit back down, make sure you’re getting into a supported position with a neutral spine -- neither slumped forward nor pushed back.

If you don’t work at a desk and you stand or lift things a lot at work……….. One of the most important things for someone who stands a lot, whether you’re a clerk or a college professor, is wearing the correct kind of shoe.

Whether you’re delivering a lecture or a sales person, you should also keep a small footrest near you, where you can put one foot up to unweight one side of the body, then switch.