We as humans are striving ahead of other species because of our ‘heels down’ posture. But, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t struggling with back ache, shoulder injuries and neck problems because of the posture we hold.
Many people spend around 10 hours a day sat down at a desk, at home or in the car because that is what their job requires them to do. People working in offices are especially susceptible to back, shoulder or neck problems because of the way they sit in the office.
If you are looking to walk taller, struggle less with neck or shoulder problems and gain better posture, here are some ways to improve your posture in the office:
Choosing the Right Desk Chair
The easiest way to improve your posture is to improve the chair you sit on. Spending so much of your day sat down in your chair means that if it is too comfortable, too hard or curved in the wrong way, it can have a lasting effect on your posture.
Egan Reid have a range of chairs that offer comfort, stability and support for your back when sat at your desk. Choosing the right chair is important so asking experts for their advice is a great place to start. Even if you are choosing chairs for you, your friend or all your staff it is good to get in touch with office furniture companies that have experience providing furniture that works for you.
Keeping Your Ears in Line with Your Shoulders
Even thinking about this might seem strange but once you try to keep your ears in line with your shoulders it actually makes a lot of sense. This opens up your shoulder blades, pushes your neck back in line with your spine and keeps you sat up straight.
The only problem with this helping your posture is that you constantly need to think about it. Maybe try sticking a post-it-note to your laptop screen so you remember to keep putting your ears in line with your shoulders.
If that fails you can always invest in a neck brace for improved posture and reduced movement.
Stay Active-ish
It is hard when working in an office to get up and away from your desk especially if the toilet is nearby. What you should try to do is take a short walk, stand up and stretch your legs or move your shoulders so that you don’t seize up.
On your lunch or break make sure to get up and away from the desk giving you a chance to stretch your legs and get away from looking down at your computer screen.
If for some reason you do not get chance to leave your desk then make sure to stretch your legs under the desk and stretch out your shoulders too.
Don’t Cross Your Legs
Crossing your legs might be comfortable under your desk but this can actually cause problems in your back and hips. Constantly twisting your spine in this way as your cross one leg over the other means you are elevating one hip at a time. This can cause problems for the lower back and the knees that are under extra pressure.
Having perfect posture might seem like hard work but with these simple tips you should be well on your way to posture to be jealous of!
