Working in an office can be seen as an injury free job, but sitting in a chair all day comes with its own risks. If you use a computer for more than 8 hours a day and have done so for years your back could be in trouble. Observing ergonomic behaviors and implementing them daily is important for maintaining overall health in your back and neck.
Staring downwards at a monitor can make your head feel like a 60 lb weight that puts a strain on your neck and eventually lead to chronic pain. The same can be said for your back if you slouch, hunch, or don’t get the proper support or your spine. Eventually this could lead to severe back pain, herniated discs or possibly require laser spine surgery.
Your best bet is to optimize your desk and business in an ergonomic way to help prevent common office injuries for you and your employees. Some of the most common injuries sustained in an office are carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic lower back pain and neck pain.
Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the hand and wrist, and is caused by excessive typing during the day. The wrist position also has an effect on the risk of developing carpal tunnel. Creating an ergonomic environment vastly reduces the risk of this disease, so it’s always a good idea.
Lower back pain is incredibly common and is caused by sitting too long each day. Tension starts developing in the back and neck and combined with poor posture can lead to many kinds of spine problems. Adjusting the height of your chair so your arms are parallel to your spine and your elbows form a 90 degree angle is the most ergonomic way of sitting at a desk. Your eye level should be at the same level as your monitor, neither looking up or looking down since this can have an affect on your posture.
Overall it’s definitely something you should pay attention to if you spend a majority of your day sitting, and can prevent some serious spine doctor visits in the future.
