como-protege-la-columna-trabajando-en-casa
28 May 2021 Estimated time: ~1 min.
How we protect our spine while working from home
An incorrect position of the back, when sitting at the desk, can increase, over time, the risk of spine problems.
Even if we do not suffer from a spinal condition, it is very important to prevent such a situation and to protect as much as we can the back area. Sedentary lifestyle and hours spent at the office, day in and day out, in an incorrect position are the main factors that cause us pain and subsequently serious problems in the spine.
Physiotherapists advise us that when we sit at the computer, the back should be pushed very well into the back of the chair. If we write a lot on the laptop, the forearms must be supported on the desk and not stand in the air, because some trapezius contracts may occur to give a neck pain. may be accompanied by dizziness, headache and other disorders.
In addition, every 30-40 minutes it is good to take a five-minute break: go for a drink of water, look out the window, call a friend, any activity involves even a few steps around the house. To relax your back muscles, you can do some exercises such as leaning forward, back, left, right.
After you sit down at your desk again, don’t forget to return to the correct position!
Choose a suitable office chair!
The office chair is especially important we work many hours a day, so choose a special one to provide support in the sacral area. It is preferably an adjustable chair, so you can adjust it according to your height.
Herniated disc and spondylosis, conditions that give extremely great pain have become more common in young people, and the increased incidence is caused by prolonged office work, sedentary lifestyle, but also by the use of a chair that forces you to sit in an incorrect position.
The main tips for a correct office position:
- Push the back as far as possible in the chair, with the sacral area practically glued to the backrest, to maintain the natural position of the spine.
- Keep your head straight, otherwise you force your muscles and sore throat.
- Ideally the monitor is at eye level.
- Feet always on the floor, not on a stool, not under the seat.
- The desk should be at the height where your hands are comfortably on it, so that you do not hold them up to reach the keyboard and your elbows should be flexed at 90 degrees.
- However, the height of the seat armrests must be adjusted so as not to force any muscles.
- The knees, flexed at 90 degrees, should be at the same level as the hips or slightly below.