| I know you work hard, but are you working | | | | available guidelines that office workers can easily |
| smart? Because of the global financial crisis | | | | follow to prevent back pain. Here are some: |
| sweeping around the globe, almost every worker | | | | 1. Since office workers spend most of their time |
| these days are afraid of losing their respective | | | | sitting, the first thing that they should learn is to |
| jobs. If you are an anxious office worker | | | | observe proper sitting posture. Proper sitting |
| suffering from this wave of panic, surely you | | | | posture is very important, especially for office |
| tried different measures, like working extra hours, | | | | workers because it effectively lessens the strain |
| just to impress your supervisors. However, due | | | | and pressure applied on the spine. To sit correctly, |
| to these additional working hours, physical stress | | | | you must straighten your back and keep your |
| can occur. In fact, back pain complaints from | | | | shoulders relaxed by resting your arms on the |
| office workers are continuously increasing these | | | | chair's arm rest or on your desk. You must also |
| past few months. | | | | balance your weight on both hips. If possible, try |
| Office goers used to believe that the back pain | | | | to avoid crossing your legs. Keeping your feet flat |
| they experience is not associated with their jobs. | | | | on the ground also avoids further strain on your |
| However, recent studies showed that a person | | | | spine. |
| sitting in front of a computer eight hours or more | | | | 2. Choice of chairs can also be a factor. Since |
| daily may suffer from lower back pain. | | | | most companies provide movable, comfortable |
| In a report released by the British Chiropractic | | | | and adjustable chairs, office workers should learn |
| Association, Office goers slouching in front of their | | | | how to use these chairs efficiently. You must |
| keyboards are more prone to develop back pain | | | | adjust the height of your chair so that your feet |
| than manual workers who do excessive lifting and | | | | are flat on the ground and your knees are |
| carrying. | | | | bended at a right angle. Since you're probably |
| The report mentioned several reasons why office | | | | using a revolving chair, you must also remember |
| workers develop back pain. It said that the | | | | to twist your whole body and not just your waist. |
| primary cause of the back soreness felt by office | | | | It helps avoid spine injury. |
| workers are due to limited movement. In fact, | | | | 3. It is also important to have at least 5-minute |
| most office workers spend hours typing or just | | | | breaks every hour. Sitting in the same position for |
| answering phone calls. | | | | a very long time is the primary cause of back |
| Unlike those who do physical jobs like excessive | | | | pain for office workers. |
| lifting, office workers don't exercise or flex their | | | | 4. You must maintain a proper diet, and if |
| muscles most of the time. This inactivity of the | | | | possible, you should also do several sets of |
| muscles is very straining, particularly when you're | | | | exercises on your free days. |
| sitting improperly. | | | | It is alright to work extra hours to impress your |
| Office workers, especially now that the effect of | | | | supervisors or to earn more; however, sacrificing |
| the global financial crisis is forcing them to spend | | | | your physical health is a big no-no. Suffering from |
| more time at work sitting in front of their | | | | back pain because of incorrect sitting posture |
| computers, should learn how to lessen the | | | | usually costs a lot of money and of time, so you |
| possibility of developing back pain. There are | | | | must avoid it. |