Bad posture can lead to backaches
Fewer than 20 per cent of people are troubled by back worries. For people at work, back problems can develop simply because of bad posture. In fact, you could avoid back problems by simply being careful about how you sit, stand and walk. Here are some basics:
Always pull the chair up as close to the desk as possible. Never slouch. Slouching puts terrible stress on the back, shoulders and neck muscles.
While at the desk, you must lean forward, try to bend from your hips instead of rounding your back and shoulders.
Never bend over your work. Hold the reading material at the eye level so that you don’t have to bend in order to read.
Sit squarely on both your hips. This will help in distributing your weight evenly.
Do not tilt your head. While you are sitting, make it a habit to keep your head centred over your body.
Change your position frequently. Keep yourself flexible and wriggle around a lot. Never stay still and avoid cramped positions that bring on fatigue. It also helps to sit forward on the edge of the chair because it takes the stress off your lower back.
Make a habit of rising from your chair to take a quick one-minute walk at least once every hour.
The writer is Senior Specialist, Safdarjung Hospital and Professor, VM Medical College
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