By: Chiropractor Gareth Hood from Victoria Point Chiropractic
“Sit up straight” was the instruction from an exacerbated mother as she stared at her son, who was slumped over his phone in a crouched foetal position. The son rolled his eyes and straightened his back. But after only a few seconds, he crumbled back into his slumped posture.
This is not an example of a rare, isolated incident. Posture is being significantly impacted because of rapidly improving technology and sedentary lifestyles. It may become a challenge to maintain an upright spine for many individuals as workplaces, schools and home lives increasingly involve regular use of computers.
But it doesn’t have to be hard. Even people who work all day at a desk can do simple things to help maintain a healthy spine. For sitting workers, it helps greatly to have the monitor at eye level and the keyboard not too far away from your body. You should sit tall and have comfortable support for your lower back. Better yet, standing desks allow you to more easily maintain a tall erect posture which will limit strain on your spine and the surrounding muscles.
Desks that allow for both sitting and standing are becoming more readily available. Whether you are sitting or standing at a desk, it is also beneficial to have regular walking and stretching breaks to maintain the health of your spine. Ask your chiropractor at your next visit if you are interested in desk ergonomics or stretching exercises you can do at work, school or home.
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