| We love leaning back in chairs to 'chill out' or relax | | | | longer have a backrest on my computer chair. I |
| and have a coffee or a tea! | | | | took it off one day, because I felt I never used |
| Yet when do we learn to strengthen our backs | | | | it.. Just don't do what I did, when I forgot I had |
| for promoting a good strong standing or sitting | | | | removed the backrest; I leaned back to have a |
| posture? I don't actually think anyone realizes that | | | | stretch and fell off the seat! |
| our backs need to be trained, for promoting good | | | | Your body should be in an active mode for |
| postural performance in our daily lives. | | | | productive activity, when sitting ergonomically. |
| Ergonomic is the term used to describe the | | | | Ergonomic sitting is not a sedentary position, |
| relationship between the human, the equipment | | | | because your body needs to be kept in constant |
| and the environment for productive activity, | | | | movement. |
| which historically was paid employment, that | | | | You have two ways to think of movement, |
| protects our performance activities from injuries | | | | when sitting ergonomically: |
| in the work environment. | | | | Your central core is in your pelvic bones that |
| Today the term has become more inclusive to | | | | are seated on the chair or stool for stability to |
| other productive activities such as in the home; as | | | | your body. |
| well as other environment, that reduces injuries | | | | The spine is stabilized, by placing all your body |
| and improves productivity. The most common | | | | weight on to your pelvic bones, so that you are |
| injury is low back pain. It makes sense, because | | | | able to move your feet for balance and your |
| this is part of our skeletal body that is easily | | | | hands for productive performance, while you are |
| damaged, unless we are taught how to protect | | | | sitting. |
| our spine from an early age. | | | | By moving both your hands and feet, or both |
| Sadly we are not taught in childhood, that if we | | | | together, you are able to change the balance of |
| carry too much weight on our backs; we will end | | | | weight distribution in your central core area. This |
| up with chronic back pain, for the rest of our | | | | allows oxygenated blood to continue replenishing |
| lives. I still see students running around with cheap | | | | the areas that have been compressed with |
| backpacks on their backs, heavily laden with | | | | postural pressure. |
| books and laptop computers. Low back pain has | | | | Ergonomic sitting is used in performing productive |
| become a regular complaint of our daily life. | | | | activities, such as word processing in an |
| It doesn't have to be that way, if we learn to | | | | ergonomic chair. Ideally ergonomic sitting means |
| strengthen our backs; by not constantly | | | | that you're back is in a relaxed position on your |
| depending on back rest for supporting our backs | | | | pelvic bones, so you are able to move your lower |
| when sitting. Your back is perfectly capable of | | | | limbs for balance and comfort; plus your upper |
| sitting upright without a backrest all day. I no | | | | limbs for productive performance activities. |