Yahoo Finance 3 Exercise and Ergonomic Tips to Feel Better in the Office
If you're an office worker, you'll spend upward of 1,700 hours per year parked in front of a computer screen. That 2018 research from ACUVUE is based on the average 6 1/2 hours daily that employees with desk jobs spend with either their laptop or desktop computers.
What's wrong with the generally sedentary lifestyle of the office worker? Research suggests that it can seriously impact your health and wellness. Based on information from 13 studies, the Mayo Clinic pointed out that "those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking."
Knowing this disconcerting reality, it's time to do something to counteract the negative effects of so much sitting. George Chiang, an ergonomist at Ergonomic Trends, an ergonomics and office health blog, shares the following top three ergonomist-approved exercises and physical strategies to improve your office health, relieve stress and feel better on the job.
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1. Get Up and Move Frequently
According to Chiang, the single most important piece of advice is to break up the cycle of sedentary behavior as much as possible in the office. "The (key) rule to follow is to get up and walk around every 30 minutes," says Chiang. "If that's unfeasible, even just a two-minute walking break every hour has been shown to be highly beneficial."
Chiang shares the following statistics to emphasize the difference you can make in your health and well-being at work -- as well as your potential longevity -- with some small changes to your daily desk habits:
-- Moving just two minutes an hour lowers the risk of premature death by 33%.
-- Getting up every 30 minutes lowers the risk of premature death by 55%.
To achieve this, Chiang recommends simply taking a bathroom break, rehydrating at the water cooler or delivering that memo in person to a co-worker across the floor rather than sending an email. "Whatever excuse you need to peel yourself off your chair, do it, and do it consistently so it becomes a habit," says Chiang.
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2. Do Targeted Exercises at Your Desk
One risk of long hours of desk work is repetitive strain injury (RSI), which can occur from repeating the same actions like using a keyboard and mouse over a prolonged time period. Your hands, wrists and back are particularly vulnerable to RSI pain or functional impairment based on tendon and muscle strain from computer work. But you can take steps to counteract this situation.
"Simple exercises at the desk can go a long way in keeping the dreaded back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome at bay," says Chiang.
To that end, he suggests the following simple routine of six exercises and stretches that takes just a couple of minutes a day to complete. "Do these at least once a day at work," says Chiang. "The routine is great because it targets all the areas of the body that are susceptible to tension buildup and even injury after prolonged sitting."
-- Neck relaxer. Sitting upright in your chair, begin by letting your head drop backward. Hang out there for a moment before dropping the head forward so your chin touches your chest. Repeat this three to four times.
-- Shoulder rolls. Begin by lifting your shoulders up. With a circular motion, slowly roll them backward five times and then forward five times.
-- Overhead shoulder stretch. Raise one arm overhead and bend at the elbow so the hand is behind the neck. Catch the elbow using the opposite hand and pull the arm gently toward the head. Repeat with the other arm. Do this three times on each side.
-- Wrist and finger stretch. Raise both arms straight ahead and parallel to the ground. In a circular motion, rotate the wrists in opposing directions a few times, then switch directions for each wrist. Next, spread out your fingers as wide as possible and hold for two seconds. Bend the fingers at the knuckles to form a tight claw, and again hold for a couple of seconds. Finally, close your fingers to form a tight fist, and again, hold. Reverse the process. Repeat the entire routine a few times.
-- Forward back stretch. Begin by sitting upright in your chair. Slowly bend forward from the waist until your head is nestled between your legs and your arms are dangling off the sides. Hang out in this position for a few seconds before slowly coming back up.
-- Seated leg lift. In a seated position with your knees bent at 90 degrees, slowly raise one leg up until it is parallel to the ground. To give your calf muscles a good stretch as well, flex your feet. Hold this position for five seconds before coming back down and repeat with the other leg. Do this routine a few times.
Chiang recommends "mixing up the routine" every now and then with other desk exercises.
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3. Improve your Posture, Decrease Your Stress
If you were to create a list of work-related factors that cause stress, poor posture might escape your attention. But as research has proven, Chiang points out that bad posture not only strains your muscles, but also increases your stress levels.
"One thing that you probably don't realize is that sitting in a slouched position hampers proper breathing," says Chiang. "As a result, you're forced to take shallow breaths." Chiang explains that this in turn causes your lungs and heart to work harder to ensure adequate oxygen circulation. "The outcome is a vicious cycle that exerts more stress on your body. This means that sitting in the correct posture can significantly reduce stress."
Chiang points to the following five tips to help you achieve proper posture when working on a computer at your desk:
-- Sit with your back straight, your shoulders slightly pulled backward and your buttock touching the end of the seat.
-- Your neck should be upright with ears aligned with your shoulders. Any tilting of the neck exerts pressure on the neck and spine.
-- While typing, keep your elbows at an open 90 to 100 degree angle to relax your shoulders. Wrists should be in a neutral position to avoid stressing them.
-- Avoid crossing your legs or sitting on one of them, as tempting as it may be. If your legs start to feel restless, get up and move instead.
-- Both feet should be flat on the floor -- use a footrest if necessary.
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