Posture--Does Yours Cause Backache?

Now that I have started blogging about health, I have found out that sitting at my computer for hours at a stretch are causing some unpleasant side affects.  I wonder if the same may be happening to you.

Before I go into what these things are, I want you to know that I am going to find ways to lessen their occurrence.  If I can get enough people to join me, I may start a program, study, competition, or even contest to improve the lives of those of us who must spend too much of the day sitting.

Additionally, this activity of sitting in front of a computer is a first for me as in my previous career (teaching), I almost never sat down during the day.  At that same time I had children still at home that required me to keep moving even when my teaching day was done.  Does any of this sound familiar to you?

So-o-o, what are some of the unpleasant affects of sitting at a computer or desk all day?  One is called a “repetitive strain injury” which mostly affects the upper body such as hands, wrists, and arms as well as the shoulders, upper back and neck.  Lots of times these lead to headaches.

Another is called “deep vein thrombosis” which affects the legs.  This happens when there is too little movement and a blood clot can develop deep in a vein.  There are some devices created to help alleviate this condition such as a pedal exerciser.  This devise just sits below your desk and you pedal away as you are typing or writing.

The BIG one in my case is weight gain!  It is easy to get caught up in a story or report or whatever I am writing and to forget to take a break and do some stretching, walking, or other quick exercise.  (My next post will have a list of exercises anyone can do right at their desk.)

For now, some of the things you can do is to use an “egg timer” like we keep in our kitchens.  Lynn Terry, one of my favorite bloggers, has done this forever and suggests we use the egg timer for various things.  Visit ClickNewz.com.  The timer will help you remember to get away from your desk at least once every one or two hours.

Another thing to do is to remember to stretch.  These will be found in my desk exercises.  Jogging in place for a couple of minutes to get your blood moving is another good suggestion for when you have your timer set and get up from your desk.  You can also invest in a rebounder, which is just a small trampoline.  Be sure to get a good stable one with preferably 6 legs.  Ten minutes of rebounding is equal to 30 minutes of jogging according to some sources.

Yoga is a great relaxer that is also a gentle form of exercise most people can tackle.  Many believe it strengthens the body and increases your flexibility at the same time.  Check out ABCs of Yoga for some simple animated guides to these types of exercise.

A couple more things to check are your posture and how your workspace is arranged.

Go to Posture Confidence to see a description of how to maintain good posture.  In your workspace, your computer screen should be directly in front of you with your eyes level or looking down but never up as that puts a great deal of stress on your neck.  You should also not have to lean forward or back to be able to easily read the screen.

Watch for my next post on “deskercises.”