Poor posture during the workday has a strong association with neck, shoulder and back pain among office workers. A 2009 study supported by the Danish Medical Research Council and the Danish Rheumatism Association reported that as many as 50 percent of female office workers experience regular shoulder pain. Correct posture can prevent chronic pain, relieve existing pain symptoms, reduce indigestion and improve a worker's self-esteem.
Alignment
To maintain proper desk posture, good body alignment is critical. The vertebrae must be stacked up evenly, allowing the spinal column to remain balanced. When you slouch forward or arch your back, the lumbar curve is exaggerated, creating less support for the spine and throwing the body out of alignment.
In correct desk posture, the head reaches upwards, the shoulders are relaxed and drawn away from the ears, and the upper body is stacked above the hips, not leaning forward or backward. The belly button should be drawn in toward the spine, allowing the abdominal muscles to support the back and digestive organs.
Conditioning
Posture can also be improved through muscle conditioning. By strengthening the muscles that support the back, shoulders and neck, better alignment will come more naturally to office workers, conditioning the body to automatically prevent the pain that comes with repeated slouching. According to Lars Anderson of the National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Copenhagen, the five best exercises for postural improvement are the one-arm row, shoulder abduction, shoulder elevation, reverse fly and upright row. In addition, Anderson reports that a general fitness level can help the body retain good posture.
Pain Prevention
Correct posture allows the vertebral column to maintain its natural alignment, allowing for proper flexibility of the spine. If posture is poor, the curves of the spine become compromised, leading to muscle contractions that cause minor pain. These minor contractions are followed by spasms, caused when the body tightening the muscles around the spine to halt further movements. By remaining properly upright, a person can use to most effective measures against muscle spasms: prevention and early intervention.
Health Benefits
Good desk posture allows a worker's stomach and digestive organs to have enough space for food to flow from the stomach into the gastrointestinal tract without constrictions. By holding yourself upright, you can avoid or reduce the effects of gas, constipation, acid reflux and other symptoms of indigestion.
In addition, good posture helps the lungs to function by giving space for the diaphragm to expand. The increased lung volume allows for deeper, more efficient breathing.
Products
To assist office workers in maintaining correct posture, there are many products on the market. Ergonomic office chairs, originally introduced to the U.S. market in the 1970s, create a structure that encourages people to sit upright. In the 1990s, health enthusiasts began using fitness balls instead of chairs to further force them to sit upright. In 2008, Moacir Shnapp, M.D. invented a device call the iposture, which senses slouching and beeps until its wearer corrects his posture.
References
- Science Daily: Five Exercises Can Reduce Neck, Shoulder Pain of Women Office Workers
- "Young, Sexy and Healthy"; Elma and Moacir Schnapp, MDs; 2007
- "Fitness Theory and Practice"; Peg Jordan, R.N.; 1997
