Articles
Posture Guide For Sitting And Standing
Before we we get into all the things you could be doing to improve your posture at home, let’s tackle the big one; the workplace. There are so many guides given to office managers and HR departments that is full of jargon full of do and don’ts that are often very hard to filter down to employees. So we have covered the basic areas that you, as an individual can check and ensure you are being kind to your spine and eyes.
CHAIR
Look for a chair that supports the curve of your spine and is at a height that allows your feet to be at on the floor with your thighs parallel with the ground. The armrests should be adjusted so you can rest your forearms. If your shoulders drop too far or are pushing up into your neck, change the position so your muscles can comfortably relax.
If your current chair cannot be adjusted, try using a rm cushion that will support your spine and try using a foot rest. We highly recommend getting a chair that allows you to adjust the height and back angle to give you as much support as possible.
DESK
Avoid hunching further over your desk by moving key objects within arm’s reach. This should include important items such as your telephone or note pad. For larger objects further away, make sure you stand up to reach for them to avoid over reaching. It will also give you a good excuse to get out
Ensure that there is minimal clutter under your desk and you can stretch out your legs as required. If you find yourself hunching over your desk, it might be too low, so adjust the height to something that feels more comfortable. If your desk has a harsh edge to it, try padding the corners or getting a rest for your wrists.
MONITOR & KEYBOARD
We are going to state the obvious here, place your monitor in front of you (yes, really). If you are working with multiple monitors, place them on the desk so there is minimal head movement required to see both. While sitting straight in your chair, the monitor should be around arms length away, this will put less strain on your eyes and will, hopefully, prevent you from having to lean in to see the screen. Ideally, the screen should be just below eye level but if you wear bifocals, you may wish to lower this further by another inch or two. The keyboard should be directly in front of your monitor and any light source at the side of your monitors.
STANDING
Make sure you alternate between sitting and standing at your desk throughout the day. If you are sitting for the vast majority of the day, you should make sure that you stand up and stretch for a few minutes once per hour.
Moving away from your screen will you have a height adjustable desk make sure that the height is correct also give your eyes a brief rest. If for your wrists. If you are not used to standing for long periods, ease yourself into standing for longer times each day. An anti-fatigue mat will give you extra support for your feet and legs.
If you have found this guide helpful, make sure to have a read of our other articles to keep yourself fit and healthy at work.
