Does your job find you sitting most of the day?

While sitting can seem relaxing and restful, keep in mind that staying in any one position for an extended period of time can cause strain and injury to your muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. Sustained sitting can take a toll on your neck and lower back. This constant compression on your intervertebral discs hinders their nutrition and can contribute to premature degeneration.

So, if you have to sit at work, what can you do to stay pain-free? Help take the load off your back with these tips:

Take frequent breaks
Take regular breaks from sitting - get up, take a short walk outside or around the office, and stretch.

Posture perfect
Pay attention to your posture. Sitting incorrectly puts strain on your lower back, decreases blood flow to your working muscles and accelerates fatigue. Practise “active sitting” with your feet flat on the ground in front of you, your back straight, your shoulders squared and your chin parallel with the floor. This posture will strengthen the “core” muscles of your abdomen, sides and back to reduce the strain on other areas. The stronger your core muscles, the easier it will be to maintain good posture.

Choose a good office chair
What’s most important in preventing injury and strain is to be able to easily vary your sitting positions throughout the day. An investment in a good office chair can help a lot. The right chair for you should:

Be easily adjustable to suit your size
Adapt to support your spine in various working positions
Have a backrest that supports your lower back
Have armrests, if they are appropriate to your work
Have a front edge that curves downward to promote proper posture

A chiropractor can help you learn more about your posture, stretches that are good for your spine, and help you increase mobility in your spine.  Dr. Anita Chopra offers a complimentary chiropractic consultation. Call 416-873-4218 to book your consultation.