How Office Work Is Ruining Your Posture and What to Do About It

Last Updated 3 years ago

Back pain is often caused by sitting and standing in ways that go against our bodily alignments.

The way that we sit at our desks day in day out could lead to joint and muscle problems as we grow older. We blame our physical woes on age but actually, a huge (and worrying) proportion is down to our posture.

Dr Trebinjac, Medical Director of the Dubai Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre, notes that half of all patients that they see are suffering from joint pain caused directly by extensive hours of sitting in front of computer or other work-related incorrect postures [1,2].

Neck, back and wrist pains are widespread in the western world. So much so that we now have ergonomic specialists and entire furniture ranges dedicated to keeping us aligned.

International statistics point out that poor office ergonomics is now the second leading cause of sick days for organisations.

“Yes but I go to the gym regularly and I am always out and about at the weekend” I hear you say.

More bad news.

Ongoing studies confirm that even if when adult exercises for an hour each day but has a job that requires long hours of sitting, the effect of that one hour of exercise will be completely negated [3,4,5].

Essentially, smashing it out in the gym each morning or evening is simply not enough to offset eight to ten hours of sitting a day.

There’s even a new term for this group of people and associated lifestyle – it’s called actively sedentary.

Sitting for long hours is harmful to our health and when combined with postural issues the potential for damage is concerning.

We end up with hunched or curved spines, strained muscles in our neck and back, breathing difficulties as our windpipe is pushed into an unnatural position and repetitive strain injuries.

Luckily for our bodies, adjusting our posture and reversing these negative effects isn’t all that difficult.

And the best part is that you don’t need an ergonomic chair that costs you thousands of pounds either.

The role of chairs

To a certain extent, our chairs are to blame in posture issues.

According to Galen Cranz, who studies chair design at the University of California (yes, really), in centuries gone by we sat on firm and flat chairs [6]. But now we have moved to bigger and softer chairs that are terrible for our backs.

Luckily, office chairs aren’t nearly as bad as couches and leisure-style seating.

But still, chairs that are too deep prevent our feet resting flat on the floor (or make us slouch to do so) and those that are too soft encourage us to bend into a C-shape. Neither of which are any good for our spines.

Ergonomic chairs – slanted chairs that are meant to aid correct posture – are useful to a point, but it doesn’t make sense that we would have evolved to rely on this technology for our health.

But don’t fret – all is not lost.

By employing a three-step approach: correct office ergonomics, regular stretching and breaks, and strengthening of muscles through exercise, you can start to turn the tide on some of the issues mentioned above.

How to sit in a chair so your back is happy

The best possible thing that you can do for your physical health and posture is to maintain awareness. Regular check-ins throughout the day can minimise or eliminate most chronic problems.

We weren’t designed to sit for extended periods of time, but most industries in the western world require it. So if you’re going to do it, make the best out of a bad situation.

Firstly, be conscious of the tilt of your pelvis and the curvature of your lumbar spine. If your lower back has slumped down, you’re putting pressure on all the wrong parts of your back.

Think about the weight of your torso and head transferring straight down into the surface through your sitz or sitting bones (ischial tuberosities if you want to get technical).

The base of your pelvis is now holding your weight as your feet do when you stand. It shouldn’t feel like hard work, especially in the mid-back.

Take a look at this little clip from a sitting and back clinic in California. The video offers a quick primer on how to find that sweet spot for your body and your chair.

Next, try sitting on the edge of your chair. If it’s solid, even better. Use the frame for support, ignoring the back rest. This helps to keep you from curling into that C-shape.

Be intentional with the positioning of your legs too.

We are usually told to have our thighs parallel to the floor and our legs bend at a 90-degree angle. Instead, put your knees below your hip socket, at an angle closer to 120 degrees.

This makes us less likely to slump. And by making you work harder to stay upright, you’ll be switching on your muscles and providing physical cues for yourself to get up and move at regular intervals as you start getting tired.

If having your knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor or on a tilted foot rest works for you, then stick with it. Just keep in mind that pelvic tilt and consider getting a lumbar attachment for your office chair that will keep your spine flexed in the right places.

Getting into the habit of sitting this way might feel strange at first but it will help prevent problems in the long run.

For further tips around sitting right, take a look at these hints and exercises from the spinal specialists.

Setting up your desk for good posture

Alongside getting your posture right, you need to ensure your desk set up aids healthy positioning.

Set up your keyboard to be in front of you when you are typing and leave a gap of around 10 centimetres between the front of the desk and your keyboard.

You want to be able to rest your palms on the edge of the keyboard or desk but not to slump all your bodyweight into it.

Sit up straight by imagining a piece of string pulling you up from the top of your head and have the top third of your computer monitor directly in your eyeline.

Any items that you have to use regularly should be within easy reach but it doesn’t hurt to have to get up and head to the printer or filing cabinet now and again to give your body a break.

Move around

As mentioned previously, it’s not just posture that is the key to success, you need to keep moving too.

We’ve all been there. A busy day in the office where it comes to home time and you realise you’ve basically not moved at all. Whilst it can be unavoidable at times, don’t let this behaviour become the norm.

Take regular breaks to reduce your risk of developing problems including back pain and RSI, as well as contributing to your general health and wellbeing.

Physical breaks also act as mental breaks, which build productivity. Why not suggest going for a walking meeting instead of heading to the boardroom? Take your next phone call standing up, fill your water bottle regularly or try asking a colleague that question in person rather than emailing them.

Take advantage of in-person visits, they are conducive to clearer communication and a faster response time.

Essentially, anything that gets you out of your seat and breaks up repetitive movements is a massive bonus.

On top of this, challenge yourself to ditch the elevator and take the stairs. If you work on the 30th floor then try walking a few flights and getting a ride the rest of the way. Factor this in twice a day and you’ll feel the benefits in no time.

Strengthen

A great way to develop good posture is by strengthening relevant muscle groups.

Filling the hours when you’re not at your desk with physical activity can help to minimise the impact of sitting in front of a screen all day long.

A great way to stay active and develop our upright posture is to take up a recreational hobby or sport. Whether you head to the gym, join a team, swim or hike, it all helps.

At the end of a long day, sweating it out on the treadmill doesn’t always seem too appealing.

But being active doesn’t necessarily equate to an intense workout. Even taking some time to stretch or walk your dog can play a part in staying healthy.

Another amazing activity is yoga. Most standing and sitting poses develop core strength, as well as increasing your body awareness, which will help you to notice more quickly if you’re slouching or slumping [7].

All of these activities can not only aid correct posture but will also boost your mood through endorphins and act as a balance to the extensive periods of sitting.

Stretch

Building up muscle and bone strength is important for posture, but can be hard to do at work.

Stretching at your desk is a great way to stay active within the confines of an office environment. Flex your fingers and arms, rotate your wrists and neck, stretch your legs and do controlled twists/turns with your back.

Identify a few exercises that you can do every 1-2 hours and set a reminder on your phone. Encourage those around you to join in. On the hour, every hour, let one person pick an exercise for everyone to follow.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Neck: Sitting in front of a screen encourages us to slump forwards with our chin and neck strained forwards. Try imagine that your head is being pulled up by a coat hanger or on a piece of string and turn your head gently from side to side. Try looking over your shoulder on each side and repeat a few times.
• Shoulders: Our shoulders tend to get hunched over too – particularly if our keyboard or mouse are too far away from us. Shrug your shoulders up as you breathe in then drop them down as you breathe out. Repeat 5-10 times and as often as is needed to alleviate tension.
• Back: Rest your right hand on your left knee, inhale and then exhale as you twist slowly to look over your left shoulder. Hold for a few seconds and then repeat on the opposite side.
• Roll your wrists around in slow circular movements in each direction and regularly straighten your legs out, tensing your quads and pointing/flexing your toes.

Periodic moving and stretching is great for resetting posture as well as relieving stress, increasing blood flow and keeping you focused and awake.

If your office culture welcomes it, get a few rubber bands for stretching or gym balls for sitting on.

The bottom line

For most people it’s not feasible to just stop sitting or cut back the amount of hours we are stuck in our chairs.

As much as a sloping chair or fancy sit-stand desk might help, your best tool for maintaining good posture is self-awareness.

Sustainable activities and life changes such as taking the stairs or stretching regularly will help keep you active and increase the amount of time spent in an upright position.

Committing to working on your posture on a daily basis will help to reduce abnormal wear and tear on joint surfaces, decrease the stress on spinal ligaments, prevent muscle fatigue, make you look taller and slimmer, and contribute to fewer medical bills in the future.

If you are suffering from back and neck pains, it is worth visiting a physiotherapist to get a tailor-made rehab plan that can run alongside the above recommendations.

Take the steps (literally and physically) to develop and maintain good posture and you’ll reap the rewards in both the short- and long-term.

References

[1] https://www.slyk.co.uk/good-office-posture/

[2] https://www.dha.gov.ae/en/BetterHealthArticles/Betterhealth2019Sep23-135/index.html#p=7

[3] https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a26951435/being-sedentary-causes-exercise-resistance-study/

[4] https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/08/the-new-exercise-mantra/495908/

[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/well/move/sitting-for-more-than-13-hours-a-day-may-sabotage-the-benefits-of-exercise.html

[6] https://www.kpcw.org/post/cant-get-comfortable-your-chair-heres-what-you-can-do#stream/0

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3193654/