According to a study conducted in 2013 neck, back and muscle complications, collectively known as musculoskeletal complications, resulted in loss of over 31 million working days. Such conditions affecting the spinal cord are in fact listed as the number one reason why many people stay absent from work. Surprisingly, the numbers are bigger when it comes to office workers than manual ones. Such numbers can reduce if office workers ensure the ergonomics of their workstations are correct. Here are some tips that may help you while at work;
Maintain The Right Posture
When sitting;
- Maintain an upright sitting posture slightly slanted towards a 10°-20 ° angle.
- Always keep your elbows as close as possible to your body
- Always make sure that your wrists are stretched out especially when you are typing.
It is however not advisable to sit for long periods since it can result in numerous health complications like obesity and high blood pressure. Therefore, it is sometimes useful to use to a standing working station.
When Standing;
- Make sure your head, torso and legs are aligned in an approximately straight line.
- When you want to shift weight from one leg to another, use a footrest.
Proper Positioning Of The Keyboard and Mouse
When typing make sure that the keyboard is as close to you as possible and placed in a central position. You can adjust the keyboard’s position depending on the side you use most whether it is the alphabets or numerical side. The Mouse should also be placed as close to you as possible so as to prevent pain that comes with too much stretching. Using mouse pads that have wrist support might actually go a long way in reducing strain on the wrist and elbow.
The Chair
When sitting on a chair, an Ealing Chiropractor, Mat Atkinson highly recommends that you adjust your seat properly so as to allow your feet to rest flat on the floor. Here footrests could be of great importance if there is difficultly in doing so. For your back, the chair should be slightly slanted towards a 10°-20° angle from the vertical position.
For your arms, it is important to have arm rests when working. However, if the arm rests are not adjustable to ensure that your shoulders are also relaxed when resting your arms it is important to get rid of them. This is because they will cause damage and pain to your shoulders and upper body.
Conclusion
Musculoskeletal complications are really serious and each and every precaution should be taken in order to reduce such cases and/or do away with them. Since office workers are the most affected good working postures should be adopted in the office at all times. Proper positioning of keyboards, mouse and other equipment is also critical. Apart from observing all of these it is important to get chiropractic treatment regularly. If one is England an Ealing Chiropractor can be of great help. This goes a long way in preventing any further damage and getting remedies as soon as possible.