Good Spinal Health Habits at Work
“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.” - Dr. James Levine, director of Mayo Clinic
Does this sound a bit extreme?
What if we told you that 25% of Americans spend over 8 hours a day sitting and that sitting more than 6 hours a day without exercising can lead to a 71% increase in mortality rate?
That’s because sitting for too long can negatively affect your body, posing real health risks from back and pain injuries to depression, heart attacks, and even cancer.
Unfortunately, whether commuting to or from work, working away at our desks all day, or watching TV after work, our sedentary lifestyle requires us to spend most of our time sitting.
So, to help you avoid the danger of prolonged sitting, we’ve listed below three good health habits to adopt at work to protect your spine and improve your wellbeing.
Taking Regular Walks
If you’ve noticed you’re often hunched when sitting at your desk and have a sore back or neck at the end of the day, your posture might be the culprit. Sitting for too long negatively impacts your postural health.
Why is that?
Because when you sit for too long, the natural curve in your back tends to deteriorate, putting more pressure on your back and leading to weakened core muscles.
Now, the good news is that something as simple as walking for a few minutes several times a day during your working hours can significantly improve the issue.
As you walk, your muscles have to work harder to help you stay upright, naturally improving your upright posture. So, aim at taking a five-minute break every hour and walk or do squats to improve your spinal health.
Besides, regular breaks have been proven to increase productivity, so there is really no excuse not to do it ;)
Monitoring Screen Time
Granted, it’s hard not to be connected to a device at work these days, whether it’d be your phone or your laptop. After all, for many of us, laptops or computers are critical tools to perform our jobs. But the thing is that staring down at a phone or laptop for too long and too often can lead to painful back and neck issues such as upper back muscle spasms or shoulder tightness.
Here are a few tips on how to keep your spine healthy while working on your phone or laptop:
Raise your laptop or computer screen higher: the optimal laptop height is at eye level, so you don’t have to bend or rotate your neck.
Take regular breaks: as mentioned before, taking frequent breaks helps keep your spine happy. They don’t have to be longer than a couple of minutes but must be taken often. They’ll help rest your eyes, hands, back, and neck and avoid using the same muscles for too long.
Improve your posture: being mindful of your posture when sitting can go a long way in helping you manage your spinal health.
Some of the key things you can do include;
Keeping your feet flat on the floor
Maintaining a gap between the back of your knees and your chair
Avoid crossing your legs or ankles
Relaxing your shoulders
Ensuring your forearms and knees are parallel to the floor
Seeking Regular Chiropractic Care
Regular chiropractic adjustments will help fix existing issues and teach you how to adopt a good posture. A skilled chiropractor can provide you with a much better range of motion by working on your spine and realigning your bones and joints. And they’ll also recommend specific exercises you can incorporate into your daily routine to help keep your spine healthy.
Not sure where to find a qualified chiropractor?
At ChiroclubUSA, we specialize in tailored chiropractic care designed to support our clients’ needs. Dr. Andy is all about proactive care to avoid painful injuries and expensive treatments.
What’s more, ChiroClubUSA works just like a Health Club. Our revolutionary program offers unlimited visits, minimal to no wait time, open scheduling (just show up), and quick, highly effective, 5-minute visits — with pricing so affordable you don't even need insurance!
Dr. Andy is conveniently located on GYM SRQ 3530 Clark Rd., Sarasota, FL 34231.
So, call 941-218-0001 and schedule your first appointment with him today!
And because we genuinely care about your wellbeing, we regularly publish tips and tricks to help you improve your health. So, for more information on how chiropractic care can help improve your health, don’t hesitate to browse our blog section and read our latest article on why Ongoing Chiropractic Care Is Essential to Self-Healing and Self-Regulating.