| > | | | | been able to successfully manage, and even partially |
| An office chair is central to many of our lives, but | | | | correct problems that took years to develop. I tell |
| sometimes they can do a lot of harm if we aren't | | | | you this so that you will consider some aspects to |
| careful. An office chair is obviously something most | | | | the way you do your office work that you may not |
| people are intimately acquainted with, they are a | | | | have thought of. |
| central fixture in most of our lives. For better or | | | | First of all, just sitting taller in your office chair and |
| worse, they are something that is here to stay for a | | | | keeping your shoulders back and relaxed will align |
| very long time. When it comes to office furniture, | | | | your body. I once had a chiropractor tell me that the |
| the chair is not above reproach. In fact, many | | | | way I should visualize my posture is as if my weight |
| physical problems could be avoided if people spent | | | | were hanging from a rope coming out of the top of |
| much less time sitting at a desk. Think about this for | | | | my head. Okay, that's weird, but it is actually a good |
| just a minute and you will have to agree that in | | | | way to visualize alignment. |
| many instances, time spent in an office chair staring | | | | Second, an office chair is not for everyone. Yep, |
| at a monitor is not conducive to a healthy back, hips, | | | | that's right. Not all people do their best sitting down. |
| and neck. | | | | Many people are actually finding that working at a |
| A few years ago I discovered that the body can | | | | standup desk makes them more productive, and |
| only take so many years of office chair abuse | | | | much healthier. This may seem odd at first, but if |
| before it literally breaks down and becomes | | | | you think about it, standing at a desk, and being able |
| debilitated. When I developed chronic upper back and | | | | to work and move freely is a pretty good |
| neck pain, I had to really take a close look at the | | | | combination. Usually, it's repetitive movements or the |
| way my posture had degraded. Sure enough, the | | | | lack of movement that results in chronic tension and |
| many hours I spent hunched in a chair were indeed | | | | pain. Increasing flexibility and mobility is always a good |
| taking a toll. With a perpetually slouched posture, my | | | | thing. |
| upper back and neck had developed some real | | | | An office chair can be a good thing, but only if you |
| problems. Once I identified this problem, I was able to | | | | pay close attention to your posture while you are |
| take steps to correct my posture. This went a long | | | | using it. Lots of breaks and moving around will help, |
| way to solving a very real problem. | | | | but if you start to develop troubles, don't be afraid |
| Sometimes it takes a lot of years for postural | | | | to opt for a completely different style of working, |
| problems to manifest, and sometimes it takes a long | | | | like standing. Standing at a desk works for many |
| time to correct them as well; thankfully, not as long | | | | people and is a viable option to the traditional office |
| though. I found that over the last few months I've | | | | chair. |