We take some things for granted in life. Take breathing forinstance. It is the most vital function that keeps usalive; in fact, it is the sign that we are alive! Yet,breathing happens so automatically that we rarely are'aware' of it, until we come across an article like thisthat reminds us that breathing the right way is importantfor good health.
Let us discuss another human activity that you are involvedin 90% of our waking time and yet know so little about -sitting. You sit at the breakfast table, in the car, andthen again at work in our office chairs. You come back inthe evening to sit or slouch before the TV. With so much ofsitting around, it is quite right to make sure that we aresitting right!
Office Chairs - Looks Alone Are Not Enough
Work has changed over the years so that most careersnowadays do not involve too much moving around or actualphysical exercise. Most of the work is done at a desk, infront of the computer. An incorrect sitting posture or awrong office chair can be harmful for your health.
It can cause pain or injury to the back, neck and legs. Itcan also cause diseases such as spondylitis and carpaltunnel syndrome. All these are usually termed as non-accidental injury at the workplace because they are causedby normal and routine activities done as part of the job.
The most important thing that you should do to prevent suchinjury is to be aware of how you sit and correct yoursitting posture. A good office chair can go a long way inhelping you to sit right.
The chair cannot be too comfortable because it will allowthe body to slouch easily, creating problems. On the otherhand, the office chair cannot be too hard either. Whileselecting an office chair, you have to focus on theseaspects and not just the looks or comfort of the chair.
An entire new science is devoted to the study of humancapabilities and health in relation to work demands. Thisis called ergonomics.
However, even if you have the best-designed ergonomicsfriendly office chair in the world, it is not a wise ideato keep sitting in it for the whole day! Static activityfor a long time is not good for the back.
You must move out of the chair for at least 5 minutes everyhour. Move around, walk a little and maybe do somestretching exercises. Your physical fitness will ensureproper protection against back injury.
