With an increasing number of people starting to work again after COVID-19 solitary confinement, people are using chairs and tables to work with their desktop and laptop systems. But, post-COVID-19, people are confined to their homes and the maximum number of people has opted to work from home.
While working from home, proper sitting posture at the computer is not achieved. The body tends to stoop forward to focus on the computer screen and hence, the muscles in the back, stay tensed.
These tense muscles are a cause of body aches and backaches. In some cases, it leads to spasms and muscle pains which become difficult to treat. In this blog, we are going to look at how we can correct our body posture while sitting at the workplace or at home, which can help you reduce body aches and backaches.
Correct Your Sitting Posture
1. Legs and Knees should be at 90-degree Angle to Your Pelvis:
The office furniture has a chair and table that allow and encourage your knees to have a 90-degree angle concerning your pelvic section. But, the furniture at home cannot maintain this sitting posture angle and hence, you are more prone to backaches at home rather than at the office. Therefore, if you have to work from home, you should invest in a piece of ergonomic office furniture if the work is going to be for the long term.
2. You Should Roll Your Shoulders Back:
Your shoulders should be held high to support your spine’s structure. Leaning your head back can’t make it for your poor posture if your shoulders are slumped over the rest of the body. Your shoulders should be in line with your ribs if possible.
3. Your Elbows should be Tucked in:
If your head is positioned in line with your pelvic section, then your elbows tend to be tucked in. But if you are working on a laptop, then your elbows are at an extended 90-degree angle which can lead to forearm pain. Hence, proper sitting posture should be followed as far as possible.
4. Adjust your Position Every 20 Minutes:
Moving around or taking frequent breaks while working, can lead to blood flow in the muscles which alleviates fatigue. At around every 20 minutes, you should get up, stretch your hands, legs and back. You can have correct body posture while sitting at your desk if you follow this.
What piece of furniture should you use if you are working from home?
You would ask, what is the correct posture for sitting on a computer? If you have a piece of office-like furniture that includes an ergonomic chair and table, then you should use them. But if you don’t have access to such furniture, then you should think about where do you sit all the time when you are not lounging. The answer would be the dining table. Then, you should work while sitting on a dining table and chair.
How does exercising help with aches and posture correction?
There are chances that you follow a correct sitting posture in the office environment yet, you can’t seem to escape sore muscles. This happens because of the absence of exercise or vigorous movement during the day. You should prime your muscles with regular exercising if you are going to sit for 9 hours a day every day until you keep working.
A good routine to follow is to have a light exercise for 20-30 minutes a day to get you to a 60-70% of your heart rate. This will help you from having soreness in muscles at the end of the day. Because people are working from home, they don’t have to commute.
Hence, you should find some time in the mornings to walk if you experience aches despite applying correct sitting postures. The backaches disappear in around six weeks once you incorporate regular movement of the body. You should contact your healthcare professional if the aches persist and travel to your upper and lower limbs.