The static posture at the office is harmful to health and especially to the back. More than one in two French people now work at a computer station, an activity which, as we know, does not particularly encourage mobility. To prevent the risks associated with working on screens, good ergonomics of your workstation is essential. Here are also 6 simple and useful tips (which we hardly ever talk about…).
Just like millions of French people you pass regularly several hours in a row in your office chair, in front of your computer. Do not think that this activity is without risk because the the prolonged static posture that you adopt then is at the origin, among others, micro-trauma, poor muscle relaxation and poorer tissue oxygenation. With time this posture can impact your health and cause pain.
In many cases, the adaptation of the workstation and the the place of suitable work equipment allows these risks to be limited. Taking a few simple steps can also help you preserve your health at the office: here are 6 useful and often overlooked tips.
Not having enough active breaks is bad for your health. Think get up from your workstation at least once every quarter of an hour, for example choose to request information from a colleague by physically moving rather than telephoning him. Take advantage of your breaks to move around, use the stairs instead than the elevator, and if possible get some air to oxygenate yourself.
Muscle relaxation exercises help to dissipate tensions and promote tissue oxygenation. These exercises practiced at regular intervals (once an hour) help you maintain or improve your range of motion. Be careful, however, depending on your fitness and abilities, it is appropriate to choose the exercises which will be most suitable for you. Some examples in this video .
It may come as a surprise, but wearing good shoes will protect your back. Avoid excessively high heels which cause a change in body posture and causes the body to push forward (the latter then compensates by hollowing out the back, with repercussions on the spine cervical), predisposing to low back pain. If you really can do not do without heels, limit their height, this will preserve your your back!
If men seem less concerned, they shouldn't you might as well neglect the choice of their shoes. In general a good pair of shoes, beyond the aesthetic aspect, must be flat, have a padded insole supporting effectively the arch (you can optionally add a removable insole), be shock-absorbing to protect against shocks and provide good support and excellent ground stability.
Poor visual correction is very often the cause of fatigue and headaches. By changing your posture to see better, it is also the cause of muscle tension. Your vision changes over time, so consider consulting your ophthalmologist at at least once a year.
Progressive lens wearers who consult their screen by lower part of their glass, must take care to adapt the height of their screens accordingly in order to be able to consult them without lifting the chin (and spare their necks).
The use of suitable filter glasses the harmful radiation of blue light can also help limit feelings of glare and relieve your eyes.
It is paradoxical that some ergonomic seats are judged so comfortable that they completely dissuade their users from move. If you have a height-adjustable desk or if you have at your disposal a high work plan, vary the posture sit-stand while carrying out your activity (Attention, stay in a prolonged static standing position is also not recommended).
You can also alternate in the same day the use of your office chair and a stool. The stool, if it does not offer lumbar support, on the other hand helps strengthen your back muscles by forcing you to vary postures to stand up straight. In the same vein, if your seat has a seat and a unlockable backrest, use them regularly in the unlocked position, it will benefit you.
In the absence of a seat with unlocked seat and backrest or a stool, you can also opt for a “balloon” seat cushion which will not block the natural oscillations of your body and you will help stabilize your spine in a suitable position.
Of course, the choice of your seat must always be take into account your physical condition and any health problems specific.
The use of the telephone, coupled with taking notes or consultation of paper or computer documents, is a situation routine work. In these conditions, there are many people which hold the handset between the ear and the shoulder. This position is to be banned because it is very traumatic for the neck joint and the shoulder.
In order to free your hands and avoid acrobatic postures, it there is a very simple solution: the telephone headset (without preferred thread), it will also offer you the possibility of return or move around without worrying about the telephone cable.
Alternatively, you can use the loudspeaker function of your telephone if this does not bother those around you.
