Many office workers have to sit at the computer and type an average of 8 hours a day as part of their daily routine. These activities can be bad for the body, for example: the habit of sitting with the wrong posture and eye muscle tension can trigger headaches. However, working while sitting all day should not interfere with health. Read this article if you work a lot at the computer and want to know how to practice to improve your posture and stay healthy.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Maintaining Correct Posture
Step 1. Sit in a chair designed to work with correct posture
Make sure you always sit with your back straight, pull your shoulders back slightly, and place the computer screen so that the top side is at eye level. If you have to sit down to work with your head down or looking up, adjust the height of the screen. Position your wrist so that it doesn't touch the keyboard or mouse pad, unless there's a place to place your wrist. This step can prevent the formation of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is compression of the wrist that causes pain, numbness, and weakening of the wrist. Place both feet on the floor or on a footrest with your knees bent and slightly higher than your thighs.
Part 2 of 4: Performing Simple Moves
Step 1. Do some light stretching
While sitting, stretch the muscles in your arms, legs, neck, and chest to keep them from getting stiff.
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Neck:
Perform neck stretches slowly by lowering your head and looking up, tilting your head to the left and right shoulders, looking left and right. This movement can be repeated at any time to reduce tension and stretch muscles. Do not rotate the head pivot on the neck because it can damage the neck joints.
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Shoulder:
Rotate your shoulders forward and then back about 10 times to relax your shoulder muscles.
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Arm and shoulder:
The best way to stretch your arms and shoulders is to hold the edge of the table with your palms shoulder-width apart from your body. Point your palms up and lean forward while pulling your shoulders forward. Move forward again so that your shoulders and elbows are closer to the table.
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Wrist:
Rotate your wrist every hour or so. Turn it clockwise 10 times then turn it the other way around 10 times. For those who type a lot, this movement reduces the chances of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
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Ankle:
Rotate your ankles regularly. Just like the wrist movement, rotate the ankle clockwise 3 times and then rotate it the other way around 3 times. This movement is useful for increasing blood circulation and preventing the feeling of being stabbed due to blocked blood circulation which is commonly called "tingling".
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Chest:
Pay attention to whether you slouch a lot while sitting while typing. To avoid slouching, do the following exercise: spread your arms out as if to hug someone. Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing up (thumbs pointing back) then pull your shoulders back. This exercise makes the body move in the opposite direction of the bending motion so that the upper chest feels comfortable because of the stretch.
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Stomach:
Contract your abs and buttocks, hold for a few seconds and then relax again. Repeat this exercise every few minutes as you sit down to work. Also do Kegel exercises while sitting to train the pelvic floor muscles.
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Calf:
Perform a calf stretch while sitting on tiptoe to press the ball of the foot and then lower the heel to the floor again. Repeat this movement several times until the leg muscles feel tired, but still comfortable. Repeat the same movement every 10 minutes for about 1 hour. This calf stretching exercise will prevent blood clots in the legs. This is very common in computer users who rarely exercise or are elderly.
Step 2. Practice with the help of several tools
You can practice sitting at a computer using the following tools:
- grip amplifier: This inexpensive tool is small and light so it can be stored in a desk drawer. When reading on a computer screen or on paper, you usually don't use your hands much to work. Take the time to work your forearms by squeezing the grip reinforcement.
- elastic band: this tool is also cheap, small, and light. Use as directed above (example: to stretch your arm, pull the elastic band in the opposite direction). This exercise is useful as a light stretch to flex and activate the arm muscles.
- Prepare a large ball for exercise or a ball-shaped work chair to practice balance. Sit on the ball with your back straight and engage your abdominal muscles. Practicing stabilizing your core and body on the ball is a way to burn calories. Exercise will be more effective if you use a ball for exercise, but a ball designed as a work chair is more suitable for an office environment. When sitting at the computer or on the phone, sit on the ball bouncing or activating your abs. However, sitting on a ball while typing does not prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.
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Flex the forearm muscles using a muscle massage ball. This exercise will relax the forearm muscles that are tense due to frequent use of the computer at work. Worse yet, prolonged strain can lead to repetitive strain injury (RSI) if the arm is not exercised regularly.
- Straighten your left arm forward at a 45° angle with your body.
- Hold a muscle massage ball (the harder the better) with your right hand and roll it over your upper forearm. Do the same for the right arm.
Part 3 of 4: Rest
Step 1. Stand every sitting for 30 minutes and then walk to give your body a chance to move
This method helps improve blood flow in the arms and legs so they don't experience excessive tension. Go to the drinking water dispenser to get a drink. If you can't take a nap, take the time to walk around the office building. Use the stairs if you are used to using the elevator in the office. In addition to training the leg and heart muscles, you can breathe fresh air.
Step 2. Set the eye focus distance as far as possible
To prevent eye strain when working at a computer, place the monitor as far away as possible as long as the text is clearly legible. In addition, rest your eyes as often as possible by looking at nearby objects that are some distance away to prevent eye irritation and reduced ability to see far away.
Step 3. Take advantage of the time while waiting for the computer to turn on or the file to download
Leave the seat to walk in the workspace. If the work area is large enough and does not interfere with co-workers, you can do more powerful movements, for example: push ups, sit ups, and/or jumping jacks.
Part 4 of 4: Doing Other Good Habits
Step 1. Breathe deeply
To train your abdominal muscles, take a deep breath while contracting your stomach and then relax again while exhaling. If possible, find a place of clean air and then take deep breaths according to the breathing technique described in the previous step.
Step 2. Keep a bottle of water next to your desk so that you get used to drinking plenty of water throughout the day
You will feel more refreshed if this is done consistently. To be able to walk around while working your leg muscles, head to the water dispenser to fill a bottle or glass.
Tips
- Don't sit still for too long. You will stay healthy if you move often because body movement will burn calories and improve cardiovascular health. Squeezing your fingers or tapping your feet on the floor can also be considered moving, but don't make too much noise. Repeated noises as you move can annoy coworkers.
- Ask your boss if you can use a slightly taller desk to work standing up. The habit of sitting too long can be the cause of declining employee health. Therefore, anything you do to move around a lot will keep you healthy. Explain that body movement can increase productivity so that it is more beneficial to the company than the health and well-being of employees.
- Adjust the back of the chair so that it is at an angle bigger than 90°.
- Use the Break Pal program or other exercises to practice at the office. Break Pal is a website that serves to remind you to exercise and guide the exercise with examples of movements that can be done while sitting at the computer. Other users will monitor and encourage you to practice. This program that prompts employees to take breaks and provides training instructions is so useful and easy to use that you can convince your employer to install the program on every computer in your office.
- Play music to accompany the movement and relieve stress. Choose instrumental music and turn the volume down.
- If you enjoy running or walking, use the computer while sitting on the floor and stretch to save time so that if necessary, both can be done simultaneously.
- Do not squint when looking at or reading the writing on the computer screen because this is bad for the eyes. Computers usually provide the option to increase the font size so that the eyes are not too tired, for example by pressing the ctrl and + keys. The letters will become smaller if you press the ctrl and - keys. To return the letters to their normal size, press ctrl and 0. Even if your eyesight is normal, it won't hurt to do this.
- Don't neglect eye health! Your vision will deteriorate if you focus on a particular object for a long time, such as staring at a computer screen. Therefore, look out the window and stare at something in the distance to maintain eye health. Consider whether you need to buy an LCD screen that is safer for the eyes. If you have to stare at a computer screen for a long time, follow the “20-20-20”: every 20 minutes staring at a computer screen, take time to look at something else for 20 seconds 6 m from where you are.
- Lift your legs under the table to work your abs and legs.
- If you are alone at work, turn off the computer and then practice. When on a cell phone call, stand up to stretch, lift your legs, or do some other exercise by leaving your desk for a moment to move your body.
- To make the exercise more useful, perform movements using opposite muscle groups (flexors and extensors, for example: biceps and triceps). Clap your hands with your palms facing each other. Do push-ups with one hand when you go up and the other hand when you go down.
- Take a short walk around the workplace every time you use the computer for 45 minutes.
Warning
- Exercise is needed to maintain health more than exercise while sitting in front of the computer. While useful, the exercises described in this article are not enough to maintain good health. Keep in mind that these exercises cannot replace working out at the gym or used as part of a regular exercise program.
- Muscles that are not moved make blood circulation less smooth, muscles tire quickly, and tasks become more difficult to do.
- The habit of sitting still in front of the computer with the wrong posture can cause health problems, namely cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) or repetitive strain injury (RSI).
