Always
sit all the way back on any seat. If needed provide support for
your lower or mid back with a pillow. In an office situation,
with an adjustable chair, adjust the height of the seat to be
equal to the height of your knees.
If you're
a short person then you may need to keep your chair higher in
order to reach your work surface. Use the rungs of the stool,
a phone book or two, an unopened ream of paper, to go under your
feet in order to keep your knees at the same height as your
hips.
Lower or raise the seat back to your own comfort. Again,
sit all the way back on the seat and roll the chair closer to
your work.
Keep the
things that you use the most often whether a reference material,
a telephone, a stapler, close to you so that you don't have to
reach far away for them often. Never bend over the side of your
chair. As with proper lifting you should pull the chair out,
rotate it until you're facing the object, and then bend
forward and pick it up while seated.
While
seated as with standing you can contract the muscles of the leg,
exercising the muscles, and helping the blood flow by rising up
on the toes as you bring your heels up off the floor, pause at
the top and then slowly lower your heels back to the floor. If
your back is tired or painful while seated try rotating your
hips
backwards so that you press the small of your back against the
chair back, hold this position for a count of four, and repeat
as needed. You will notice that you unconsciously tighten your
stomach muscles as you attempt to press your back against the
chair which helps to strengthen the abdominals which support the
low back.
Use of
the telephone- Many times it may seem necessary to cradle the
telephone between your head and shoulder as you write or handle
a computer or other keyboard. Your employer should provide you
with a shoulder rest which can be attached to the receiver of
a phone, or request a headset which can be connected to your
telephone and allow you to have the freedom of the use of your
hands as you speak. |
