Whenever you sit at a desk all day, you can do a number of things to protect your back.
These include taking breaks, using a lumbar support pillow, and adjusting your office chair. And there’s something we usually skip – regular exercise.
Let’s explore further on how you can make sitting long hours not work against you as much as possible.
What Will We Learn?
Adjust Your Office Chair
Whether you’re sitting at your desk all day or just watching a computer screen for hours on end, adjusting your office chair to support your back can make all the difference.
Poor posture strains muscles, ligaments, discs, and other back components. This can make you feel irritated or fatigued. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to adjusting your office chair to support your back.
An office chair with a backrest that offers a little extra support can go a long way in alleviating your lower back pain. If yours doesn’t, you might want to consider investing in a new one. You may also want to consider adding a lumbar support cushion to the mix.
The most important function of any office chair is to support your body’s weight. This can be achieved by making sure that the seat isn’t too deep or that the backrest isn’t too high.
There are plenty of other office chair features to consider, like armrests and footrests. These can help prevent you from slouching while you’re working.
Doing Exercise
If you work at a desk all day, you’re probably all too familiar with back pain.
Sitting for long periods of time can lead to tightness and stiffness in the muscles and joints, which can eventually lead to pain.
If you are sitting in front of a monitor for a long day at work, you should consider doing exercises to strengthen your lower back.
If you can’t commit to exercising everyday, at least take frequent breaks to move around and stretch. Even just standing up and walking around for a few minutes every hour can make a big difference.
If you do start to experience back pain, don’t try to tough it out. Take a break and see a doctor if the pain becomes severe. With proper care and prevention, you can minimize your risk of more serious injuries.
Get A Lumbar Support Pillow
Whether you suffer from back pain or are recovering from spinal problems, a lumbar support pillow can help you to relieve pressure on your lower back. It can help improve your posture, reduce pain and prevent injury.
Choosing the right pillow depends on several factors.
Think about the thickness of the lumbar pillow. For most people, a thickness of two to four inches is enough. If you are larger, you may need to buy a lumbar support that is higher on your back.
Tink about whether you need a pillow that is firmer or softer. Some pillows are made of memory foam, while others are made of latex foam or sponge foam.
Memory foam is more comfortable, but not as durable. Alternatively, sponge foam is soft and bouncy, but not as supportive.
You should also consider whether you want a pillow with an elastic strap. If you will be moving from chair to chair often, you may prefer one with a strap. If you do not need a strap, you may want to opt for a pillow with a removable, washable cover.
The shape of the pillow is also important. Many lumbar pillows have an ergonomic shape. These are best if you have back pain. They also help to keep your spine in alignment.
Another pillow you may want to look at is the Butterfly-shaped pillow. It has a cutout for your spine. You can also attach this pillow to your suitcase handle. It is available in a variety of colors.
Some lumbar support pillows are made of memory foam. This is an excellent choice if you are looking for a pillow that is firmer, but still comfortable.
Move Around During The Day
Keeping your back in tip top shape can be a chore if you sit at your desk for hours at a time.
There are some simple tips and tricks to keep your spine in top form. Firstly, make sure your desk is ergonomically sound.
In particular, make sure that your shoulders are aligned with your keyboard. Also, position your thighs horizontal to your knees. A footrest may also help you out.
Make sure you take frequent breaks from your desk. This is especially important if you work long hours. Even a short break every hour will help you keep your spine in top form. You could even consider installing an alarm on your cell phone to remind you to move around.
Thirdly, make sure you stand up at least once every hour. This may seem like a small sacrifice, but it could lead to big dividends. Keeping your spine in top condition isn’t cheap.
In addition, keep your back in tip top shape by exercising regularly and eating right. Back pain is the bane of many working professionals, and it could easily be prevented.
Avoid Slouched Sitting
Keeping good posture is crucial to avoiding serious aches and pains.
Bad posture can damage the spine, cause back and knee pain and even cause the odd bout of ankle pain. While there is no one size fits all answer to good posture, there are some simple tricks to keep your body in top form.
The first and most obvious thing to do is to sit with your feet flat on the floor. This will keep your weight evenly distributed over your hips and lower back.
You should also make sure that your head is level and that your shoulders are square. You might also want to consider using a small, firm cushion to reduce the sway of your spine.
The second best thing to do is to make sure that you are using the right kind of lighting to illuminate your screen. The lighting should be bright enough to keep your eyes focused on the task at hand, but not so bright that it blinds you.
If you are using a laptop, connect it to an external monitor. Alternatively, you could use a rolled towel as a lower back support.
It’s best to take a few short breaks from your computer each hour to keep your back and spine in tip top shape. After all, your body has to work hard to keep you moving, and a little time each day to take care of your body will go a long way.
Avoid Eye Strain
Using computers for longer than three hours a day can be damaging to your eyes.
The human eye does not naturally have the ability to sit still for long periods. Keeping your eyes moist by blinking frequently can help to reduce eyestrain.
Sitting for long periods of time can cause muscle tension and back pain. Proper positioning of your work station can help to reduce eye strain. This can also help to reduce the likelihood of repetitive stress injury.
When looking at a computer screen, the contrast between the letters and background is much lower than reading a print page. This makes it difficult to read.
Therefore, you may want to consider wearing tints on your eyeglasses to reduce eye strain. If you wear contact lenses, make sure you use good hygiene when handling your lenses.
You can also reduce eye strain by using a humidifier and blinking frequently.
In addition to keeping your eyes moist, changing your activities and keeping a regular routine can help to reduce eye strain. Try to mix tasks and take breaks throughout the day.
If you are using a laptop, use an external monitor and keyboard. This will help to reduce the impact of your screen.
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