Do you spend a lot of time sitting at your desk? If so, you may want to consider whether your posture is healthy. An unhealthy posture could cause strain to certain parts of your body and possibly bring on health problems in the long run. By adopting the right posture early, you can make it a lifetime habit and prevent health problems from occurring. Below are some tips for adopting a healthy posture.
Don’t lean forward
A common cause of lower back pain is leaning forward at a desk. Craning over a desk can also lead to neck pain and possibly even headaches as a knock-on effect from this.
Ideally, your back should be straight and resting against a backrest while working at a desk. It could be worth investing in a decent office chair that supports your whole back. Some chairs don’t support the lower back – in these cases, it can be worth using a cushion to support your lower spine.
To prevent your neck from being strained, the top of your monitor should be level with your eyes. You should be slightly looking down at the screen.
If you’ve already started to develop back pain or neck pain, try to get into a habit of adopting the right posture. It could be worth seeing a chiropractor to see if they can relieve some of the tension. Any pain while you are young can usually be treated.
Position your arms at the right height
Pain in the wrists and fingers can occur while typing if your keyboard is not at the right height. Your elbows should be at the same level as your keyboard in order to prevent strain to your wrists and fingers.
A height adjustable chair can be useful for getting the right height. Alternatively, you could look into a height adjustable desk. If you’ve got a fixed desk and it is too low, another option could be to prop your laptop or keyboard on some books.
Make sure your body isn’t twisted
Your body shouldn’t be twisted while sitting at your desk. This can cause strain to your spine, shoulders and neck.
If you’re studying at a computer, make sure that the keyboard and monitor are directly in front of you. Even having your keyboard slightly to the side could cause strains from twisting. Correcting thi may involve having to alter the setup of your desk or possibly even the setup of your room..
Pay attention to legroom
Do you have enough legroom under your desk? Ideally, you should be able to stretch out your legs – they shouldn’t be crumpled up beneath you as this could lead to cramps and circulatory issues. A bigger desk may be necessary if you haven’t got the legroom.
On a similar topic, your feet shouldn’t be hanging from your chair either. This can lead to circulatory issues. Adjust your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor. If this causes your desk to be too high, consider using some books or a stall as a footrest.
