The Importance of Posture

Implementing good posture into our everyday lives is vital for our health, but in particular, it is important for those who work in an office and sit at a desk for the majority of the day.

When working at a desk, people tend to slouch, have their heads positioned too closely to the screen or are leaned over to one side. If this is what you do then you may find that you have an aching back or neck. If so, then you have bad posture, and this needs to change.

Having good posture is extremely important to your health, as bad posture can cause a number of health issues and injuries. Bad posture can add strain and stress to your muscles and cause repetitive discomfort in your joints, which over time can cause tissue to wear away. Bad posture could also lead to the condition arthritis, and could even cause individuals to obtain a slipped disc or trapped nerve due to too much pressure on the spine. As well as this you may find that it is harder to breathe when sat in a slumped position, due to the pressure applied to the ribcage, and therefore the lungs.

The difference between good and bad posture

Bad posture – Being slumped in a chair, arched back, leant to one side, looking down.

Good posture – According to the NHS there are numerous steps you can take to improve posture while sitting, these steps include: Make sure lower back is supported, elbows should be by the side of your body so the arm forms an L-shape at the elbow joint, feet should be placed flat on the floor and your computer screen should be at eye level.

Bad posture doesn’t mean you’re lazy

Having bad posture doesn’t mean you’re lazy, if you are sat at a desk for 8 hours a day it is extremely difficult to stay in the perfect upright position. To aid this it is important to have small breaks where you can walk around and get your legs moving, but it is even more crucial to invest in a good chair to aid with a good posture.

The importance of a good chair

Everyone’s body is different, so it is important to understand that everyone will have different and specific needs when it comes to sitting down. Getting the right seating will prevent or improve musculoskeletal issues and back and neck pain. Having an ergonomic chair that can adjust in various ways will ensure the health and comfort of an individual, and also the creativity and productivity of the individual at work.

DSE Assessments

If you are worried about your posture in the workplace, our DSE Assessments can help you identify any issues with current setups or identify specific products that may allow DSE related issues to be resolved.