What is good desk posture?

by Jezz Foo, chiropractor at Thrive Wellness Centre

 

Sitting at a desk for hours at a time may be the cause of your neck, shoulder, wrist or back pain. Thrive chiropractor Jezz explains the correct posture to adopt and some tips on how to reduce or prevent the pain caused by long periods of sitting and poor posture.

1. Assume the correct posture
   • Sit with your bottom to the back of your chair, with your back against the chair. Your upper back should be straight. A lot of people sit in the middle of the chair, so make a mental note to move further back.
2. Roll your chair in
   • You want to be close to the desk but not too close that your body is cramped. You shouldn’t need to reach far for your keyboard or mouse.
3. Position your elbows
   • Arms and elbows should be supported, so adjust the height of your chair or desk accordingly.
4. Roll the shoulders back
   • Allow your shoulders to be relaxed instead of high or hunched.
5. Pull the head in
   • Your neck and head may be sticking out without you realising. This often goes hand in hand when the shoulders roll forward.

Remember to break the cycle

The best way to reduce the length of time sitting in one position, is to get up, walk around for a few seconds, and then sit back down and resume working – when you sit back down, use this opportunity to correct your posture for the next period of sitting.

If you can’t get up and walk around, then take a couple of seconds to move back in your chair, straighten the back, roll your shoulders back, pull the head in and continue working.

By taking time out for a few seconds every half hour or so to check your posture, may help prevent some of the pain issues surrounding long periods of sitting.

Muscle strength

In some cases, our bodies simply aren’t strong enough to sit in the correct position for the desired amount of time – this can be due to weakened back or core muscles. Speak to a chiropractor on ways to help strengthen your body so that you can better tolerate long periods of sitting and working at a desk. Soft tissue massage may also help to relieve some of the aches and pains caused by tightened muscles in the neck, shoulders or back.

Jezz Foo is a chiropractor here at Thrive Wellness Centre. Jezz works Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Click here to book an appointment with her or one of our other chiropractors.

All of our friendly practitioners work evenings and/or weekends to assist making and attending appointments that little bit easier for you. For any queries, please contact our office on (08) 9478 3869.

References:

https://www.physiomed.co.uk/uploads/guide/file/22/Physiomed_Sitting_Guide_-_Working_at_a_Desk_Digital.pdf