Improve Health and Energy with Workplace Ergonomics
If you’re like most Americans, you spend a significant amount of time every day sitting at a desk. Unfortunately, poor workplace ergonomics can lead to bad posture and related aches and pains.
The spine’s vertebrae are aligned in a way to promote equilibrium throughout the body. Good posture allows for an equal distribution of weight when you sit, walk, or stand. Poor posture means the weight is distributed unevenly, placing undue stress on the spine, muscles, and surrounding soft tissues.
How to Improve Your Workplace Ergonomics
Better workplace ergonomics won’t just help you avoid neck and back pain. A properly configured workspace can enhance productivity. With no aches to distract you, you can focus entirely on your work.
Here’s how to create a spine-friendly workspace:
- Invest in an ergonomic chair: Don’t just slouch on the couch. Get a desk and an office chair with lumbar support, which helps maintain your lower back’s natural "S" shape. The chair should also have armrests. Holding up your forearms all day strains the shoulder muscles.
- Position your monitor correctly: Make sure your computer monitor is set so you don’t have to look down. This strains the neck muscles and can exacerbate spinal misalignment in the long term. Also, make sure your monitor is about one arm’s length away to avoid eye strain.
- Adjust your stance: Sit with your feet flat on the floor and don’t cross your legs, which twists the spine. Your chair should be at a height so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Additionally, your forearms should be parallel to the floor when you type.
- Take regular breaks: The human body wasn’t meant to sit still for hours at a time. A sedentary lifestyle has many health risks, including an increased likelihood of heart attack and diabetes. Get up every 30 minutes and move around to loosen up muscles and boost circulation.
Get Help with Workplace Ergonomics in Douglasville, Georgia
If you’re still struggling with neck or back pain, Health for Life Chiropractic can help. Dr. Edmond Hattaway, D.C., takes a holistic approach to chiropractic care, providing spinal alignment, therapeutic massage, and exercise and stretching guidance to improve posture and ergonomics.
The fastest way to schedule an appointment is to call us at (770) 489-0187. You can also reach us online.
Posted In:
Chiropractic
Posture
Workplace Ergonomics
