Posts Tagged ‘Sitting’

What is the importance of maintaining a good posture?

Most of us lack good posture. A good posture has a lot of importance as it improves your appearance, makes you look taller, enhances your self confidence and self assurance, prevents aches and pains. Bad posture is one of the main cause for back pain. The three spinal curves i.e. neck, upper back and lower back needs to be kept in balanced alignment.

Sitting affects the back more than standing. Standing demands five times more on the spine and muscles lying down. To keep the spinal curves aligned, the muscles are needed to be strong and flexible.

- Poor posture can narrow the space between vertebrae and hence increasing the risk of compressed nerves.
- Poor posture increases wear on joints and can contribute to osteoarthritis.
- Bad posture can cause your pectorals contract and shorten if you sit bent over a desk all day. The back muscles lengthens and gets weakened making it difficult to lift the chest which is important for good posture.
- Contracted chest muscles contribute to shoulder injury, sore neck, back pain and fatigue.

Poor posture includes rounded shoulders, protruding buttocks and abdomen, arched lower back, head pushed in forward position. To improve poor posture and maintain a good posture,one thing that is most important is to maintain a healthy weight. Keep in mind the following points:

- The footwear that you wear while standing or walking plays an important part for maintaining a good posture.
- You should imagine as if a wire is attached to the top of your head pulling it upwards.
- Avoid standing or walking with an extreme curve in lower back.
- Tighten the abdominal muscles and flattening your stomach and hold for few seconds.
- Stand evenly balanced on both feet.
- While sitting, sit firmly back with shoulders against chair, chest lifted and upper back straight.
- Equal weight should be put on both buttocks.
- Thighs should be horizontal while sitting.
- Feet should be flat on floor while sitting.
- While working at desk, do not loo directly down at your work.
- While driving, seat should be positioned so that the wheel could be reached easily as well as brake, accelerator and clutch.
- Take a break if you are sitting for a long time.
- The mattress should be comfortable, not too hard but it should not sag. Early morning back pain is a sign of a poor posture.
- Lifting or carrying too heavy objects can cause poor posture.

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What are various health problems sitting continuously for long hours in front of computers.

Sitting continuously for long hours in front of computers is responsible for various health problems including weak eyesight and stress. I am frequent computer user. Of course it’s interesting to know how danger for my health computer can be.

- Lower Back Pain : Wrong type of chair or desk, Right chair an desk but wrong posture, Sitting on the edge of the chair, sitting with all the weight on one buttock by sitting cross legged.
Corrective Measures: Always go for a chair that has a mechanism for lowering and raising the height of the backrest. Never buy a computer chair that has arms rest.
- Neck Pain : While typing when one is moving the neck up and down, left and right too much it causes neck pain.
Corrective Measures: A document holder is a must to restrict neck movement. Take opticians advice and go for special glasses that you can use while in front of the computer. Screen’s height should be adjusted parallel to eyesight – not too high and not too low.
- Hurting Hands : Your hand and wrist ache after working at the computer all day, and they sometimes start feeling numb. It is really important to give your fingers, wrists and hands a break from resting on the keyboard all day. A tennis ball is a great way to do this.
- Strain In the Eyes : Glare from monitor, sun glare directly coming in straight on to the monitor from windows, lighting arrangement of the room are some causes that put strain on the eyes.
Corrective Measures: The correct thing to do is to place the computer table between lights and not directly under them. The best alternative is to switch off the overhead light and switch on the angle poise lamp.
- Many people suffer from structural problems related to the physical stress of sitting incorrectly, or for too long in front of their computers.
- Many people suffer from structural problems related to the physical stress of sitting incorrectly, or for too long in front of their computers. So there are chances you’ve experienced a fair amount of computer stress, from minor frustrations here and there to a virtual visit to computer hell.
- Take a break for 10 minutes after every uninterrupted 60 minutes of computer work. Short, frequent breaks are more beneficial than occasional, longer breaks.