As a species, humans are not evolved to sit around for 8 hours a day however the majority of jobs in the 21st are office based and require just that. As a result, it is not uncommon for people to pick up some bad habits that can cause back pain, repetitive strain injuries and even sight problems. Here at The Healthy Living and Fitness, we have decided to go over a few ways you can reduce the damage of a desk job and fix the problems that are causing the symptoms…
Posture
It is very easy to develop poor posture when you spend a lot of your time hunched over a keyboard at work. In fact, when this is coupled with a lack of exercise the muscles in our legs can tighten overtime and lead to problems like an anterior pelvic tilt or lower back pain. As a result, you should ensure that you maintain a balanced posture at work and actively correct yourself when you notice bad habits developing.
Stretching
Since sitting down for prolong periods of time everyday can tighten the muscles in our body, particularly in our legs, it is important to incorporate stretching into your daily routine. In fact, shortened muscles are actually a common cause of lower back pain so regularly stretching can help reduce aches and pains.
Breaks
Most desk jobs involve staring at a computer for long periods of time and this can lead to something called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). As a result, you should take regular breaks away from the glare of a screen. In fact, most experts recommend that you complete the 20-20-20 rule, which involves looking away from the screen every 20 minutes to stare at something that is 20 feet away for around 20 seconds.
Sitting down for prolonged periods isn’t good for anybody which is why it is essential to include physical activity in your day to day life in order to combat the negative effects that can result from an office job. To find out more information about staying in shape with a 9-5 job, get in contact with a member of The Healthy Living and Fitness team today!