Posture: Remember Being Told Sit Up Straight?

In our previous post we gave 3 tips and tricks on maintaining a healthy work-life balance while working from home. We would like to continue this week on providing further tips, as it pertains to maintaining good posture. I recall in grade school being told over and over to “sit up straight.” Now more than ever this small piece of advice, while it seemed so inconsequential then is essential now. Good posture is essential to maintaining a healthy work from home lifestyle during this pandemic. Some may find this difficult, especially since many may not be utilizing dedicated office furniture which is designed to assist in maintaining proper posture.

I think most of us have noticed new aches and pains in our back and neck, or is it just me? While it may seem inviting to sit or lay on your bed and couch, this not only is bad for productivity, but it is also bad for maintaining good posture. Now that you are up (kidding), pick out a comfortable chair in your home, preferably an office chair with lumbar support like what you would have at the office. If you do not have a chair with adjustable lumbar support, use a small pillow or towel roll on your lower back to help you prevent slouching over your desk by keeping your lower back (lumbar area) supported while sitting up straight. Another option that has become popular during the pandemic, while admittedly stylish to the younger crowd, are gaming chairs. These chairs, which resemble a plush race car seat, provide excellent lumbar support and comfort as they are designed for gamers which often sit for long periods of time similar to an office environment. 

Other things you will need to investigate are things like the height of your desk to prevent you from slouching over your keyboard. If your screens have you looking at a downward angle, consider stands for your screens or laptop. These will raise your screens or laptop and are often adjustable to suit people of all heights and are inexpensive. If you are in a pinch, a stack of books or reams of paper will suffice.

Always remember like your doctor or chiropractor may say, keep your head above your shoulders and hips, sit evenly, and most importantly sit up straight. We also recommend that you take breaks every so often getting up and stretching to prevent aches and pains from setting in.

Working from home has certainly presented new challenges. We would like for you all to continue to have a healthy lifestyle despite less than ideal settings.

For more tips please see this article from Linea Rochford at Performance Therapies, P.C.