Ergonomics is helping to fit a job to the person. That job can be a task at work or at home. All we need to do is make little changes in the body posture, lifting techniques & working habits.
There are three keys to building an ergonomic body:
- Motion – The joints in our body need movement! Continuous movement prevents the joints to turn stiff.
- Flexibility – To help prevent injury, our body requires flexibility in muscles, joints and ligaments.
- Strength – To be able to shield the joints from any harm and keep you upright, our muscles need strength.
Here are some suggestions to help improve posture and ergonomics for daily tasks.
- Use good ergonomic practices in the office. Keep body in alignment while sitting in an office chair. Sit up straight in the chair. Keeping shoulders and hips in line vertically. Adjust the chair to have the feet on the floor, thighs horizontal, arms even with the height of the desk and good lumbar support. Use a foot rest as needed, and arm rests should be adjustable to allow shoulders to relax. When typing, arms/wrists should not rest on arm rests or wrist rests. Keep monitor at eye level with good lighting.
- Keep the body in alignment while standing. Distribute the body weight evenly to front, back and sides of feet. Focus on holding the stomach muscles in.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from the computer screen for 20 seconds.
- Get up and move with “mini” breaks every 30 minutes. Stretch, stand or walk. Sitting too long leads to slouching and poor posture, putting extra pressure on the neck and back. Adjust positions to get out of the traditional sitting at the desk mode.
- Increase awareness of posture and ergonomics in everyday settings. Be mindful while lifting, sitting, preforming repetitive motions and working in awkward body positions. Practice safe body postures. Use legs for lifting, bending the knees rather than the back.
- Do regular exercise to help promote good posture and prevent injury. Walking, biking and swimming are good low impact exercises. Move, move, move! Incorporate movement into your daily schedule by parking far away from buildings and taking the stairs rather than the elevator.
- Maintain overall relaxed posture in head, neck, shoulders and back. Clenching muscles can lead to stiffness and tightness causing increased pain and limited movements overall.
Incorporating ergonomics and lifestyle changes into the workplace and life can increase productivity, decrease fatigue and decrease muscle soreness. If the injury or pain keeps one from functioning and enjoying everyday life at work, home or during leisure activities do contact us.
Need more advice or treatment? Many health care experts at antarnaad are always here to help you out. Antarnaad is a growing network of experienced physiotherapists, dietitians and nutritionists, fitness trainers and Yoga experts providing treatment for all the conditions. For more information visit our website www.antarnaad.net or call our Consultant: Mb: 9899700187
