July 28, 2009

(Chris Philpot)

First, let's see what we can do to lessen the stress you put on your body at the office. Minimizing strain means not having to work as hard at correcting for poor posture and sore necks and backs. Here are a few things you can do.

- Get your workstation assessed to make sure it's ergonomically set up.
- Take breaks every 15-20 minutes to stand up and walk.
- Place a rolled up towel in the small of your lower back to support your spine.
- Sit tall from your hips, with your chair positioned so your feet are flat on the floor.
- Stand when you talk on the phone, and get a headset if you gab often.

Stretch your wrists, hands and forearms. Then, a few times a day, or whenever you take breaks, do "standing shoulder retractions" to pull everything back into position. Here's how:

Do you have a question of your own?

Stand with your arms at your sides, chest up, and then pull your shoulders back while squeezing your shoulder blades together for a count of three. Relax, then repeat 8-10 times.

For more info, check out these articles:
Five Ways Tech Is Waging War on Your Body
Master the World's Greatest Stretch
Snack Smarter at the Office

-- Sue Falsone, Director of Performance Physical Therapy, Athletes' Performance and Core Performance

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