Sitting at a work dest has become a modern day problem.  80% of adults will experience an episode of low-back pain at some point in their lives, with most occurrences happening during the ages of 30 and 50 years.  85-90% of all episodes of low back pain have no identifiable cause.

Sitting all day, or for long period of time, puts a tremendous amount of strain on the body, which can lead to many chronic conditions. The majority of these conditions fall under the category of repetitive overuse injuries. Some of these conditions include:

• Low Back Pain
• Sciatica
• Neck strain
• Headaches / Migraines
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tennis elbow
• Rotator cuff strain
• Tendonitis
• Eye strain & dry eyes

Some tips on how to limit injuries from sitting:

1. Request a standing desk from your employer (if possible). More employers are recognizing the importance of their employees’ health
2. Sit on a stability ball (if possible) –this helps activate and engage the core while you sit.
3. Have an ergonomic work station:
   • Firm supportive chair
   • Computer screen at 90 degrees to your eyes
   • If using a laptop, put something under to bring it to eye level
   • Have your work station directly in front of you and not to the sides
   • Use an external mouse and not the laptop’s touch pad
   • Use a gel padding under your wrist while using a mouse
   • Have a gel padding for wrists behind the keyboard
   • Adjust the height of your chair to be level with the work station
   • Use the 90 degrees rule for body parts:
     • Arm, elbows, wrists, knees, shoulders should not be bent more than 90 degrees. Keep everything at 90 degrees
     • Do NOT cross your legs
4. Sit at the edge of the seat and don’t lean back; actively use your own core muscles to sit tall
5. Take your eyes off the screen and refocus on something in the distance periodically to avoid eye fatigue and strain
6. At minimum take a 2-5 minute break every 45-60 minutes to walk around and stretch
7. Walk around for 2-5 minutes every hour to improve blood flow and reset muscle tone
8. Drink plenty of water.  (Have a small bottle as this will get you to get up off your seat)
9. Get chiropractic or massage treatments if you have pain (limit using medication)
10. Exercise regularly to stay strong for your work