Do you experience pain and discomfort from sitting at your desk all day? Do you feel exhausted even though you’re mostly just sitting? You’re not alone. Millions of desk workers all across the country suffer from conditions associated with prolonged sitting at a desk job, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Whether it’s forming better habits at work, changing your workspace, or seeking out chiropractic care, there are plenty of things that you can do to improve your health and well-being at your desk job.
So, if you’re one of the many West Chester residents who spend most of their time huddled over a desk, here is everything you need to know about healthy desk sitting and how chiropractic care can help.
The Importance of Healthy Sitting at Your Desk Job
We spend upwards of a third of our lives at work, and if the majority of that time is spent sitting at a desk, it can lead to some serious health issues. Our bodies simply aren’t meant to sit still for so long, and doing so can lead to musculoskeletal issues, weakening muscles, bad posture, and even potentially life-threatening conditions like hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
The health risks associated with prolonged sitting at desk jobs are no joke and can seriously affect your overall quality of life and well-being. So, whether you’re an office professional in West Chester or anywhere else, it’s essential that you do everything you can to ensure that you are as comfortable and healthy as possible at your desk job.
Healthy Self and Chiropractic Care Strategies For Office Strain Relief West Chester
Luckily, there are plenty of effective strategies that office workers can use to minimize the negative effects that come along with prolonged sitting at a desk job. All it takes is a bit of extra awareness and planning.
So, whether you struggle with pain and discomfort from your desk job or simply want to do everything you can to make sure that you never get to that point in the first place, here is everything you should be doing to relieve strain and improve your overall health and well-being at your desk job.
Create an Ergonomic Work Space
Your workspace has a huge effect on how you move and position your body throughout the day. In fact, even if you normally have great posture, sitting in a workspace that isn’t fit for you can make it worse, forcing you to slouch, lean, and bend into positions that your body simply isn’t designed to be stuck in for extended periods of time. Because of this, creating a comfortable and ergonomic workspace that fits your particular body is crucial to your overall health and wellness.
The key here is fitting the elements in your workspace to your body. You want a good chair with lumbar support that keeps you sitting straight and supports the natural curve of your lower back. It should also be at a height that keeps your knees around a 90-degree angle. The same goes for the desk itself, as it should keep your elbows around a 100-degree angle when using your computer.
Lastly, is the height of your monitors. If they are too low, you’ll be staring down all day, which can put a lot of strain on your neck. In an ideal ergonomic workspace, the top of your screens should be at about eye level, which forces you to keep your head and neck in a more natural, forward-looking position.
Be More Aware of Your Posture and Body Positioning
As much as having a good desk setup is crucial to maintaining a healthy sitting posture, being more aware of how you are sitting and taking the time to adjust is also incredibly important.
The biggest thing to remember here is to keep your sternum up. If you notice that you’re slouching a bit, simply doing this small gesture instantly improves your posture and puts you in a more natural position that won’t strain or weaken your muscles.
Your core is important, too. It plays a big role in stabilizing your spine and keeping it in a natural position. Being more aware of your core and ensuring that you utilize it while you are sitting is another great way to ensure a healthy sitting posture.
Take Breaks and Move Around
Our bodies are meant to move, and staying in even the most natural and healthy positions for too long can put undue strain on certain muscles. As simple as it sounds, setting a 45-50 minute timer and taking a short break that allows you to get up and walk around a bit can go a long way to making you feel more energized and comfortable at your desk job.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help You At Your Desk Job?
Many of the pain and discomfort people feel at their desk jobs are due to issues with posture and the musculoskeletal system. This makes chiropractors, who specialize in the musculoskeletal system, uniquely qualified to help prevent and treat these conditions when they arise.
As mentioned above, posture when sitting is incredibly important and bad posture in and of itself is a precursor to a wide variety of health and well-being problems. Upon your first visit, a chiropractor can conduct a posture assessment that can pinpoint areas where muscles are weakened or put under undue strain and then come up with a treatment plan that can help fix these issues.
From performing chiropractic adjustments that relieve tension, strain, and stress to teaching you stretching and strengthening exercises and providing general ergonomic and wellness advice, chiropractic care is the perfect solution for all your desk job health and comfort issues.
Contact Goshen Family Chiropractic Today
Do you experience aches and pains from sitting at your desk job all day? Do you want to improve your posture and adopt healthier sitting habits? Give us a call! Our team, led by Dr. Raj, specializes in corrective care, including improving posture and general wellness, and can design a custom treatment plan fine-tuned to your specific needs. We’ll even help you set up your first appointment. So, don’t let your desk job get you down. Call Goshen Family Chiropractic and schedule your first appointment today!
