Regardless of whether your job has you sitting at a desk all day, rushing meals to customers, stocking shelves, or manually working on a factory line, bad posture can cause a lot of pain and discomfort on the job and after you’re done for the day.
Even if we don’t realize it, the routine things we do are constantly affecting our posture. Good posture is important for balance, helps your form when doing physical activities, and can decrease chronic pain in your back and shoulders.
Left unchecked, bad posture can cause joint and even nerve issues in the future. By consciously adjusting your posture, you can prevent some of your discomfort and reduce any symptoms you’re already experiencing.
While there’s only so much you can do on your own to help with back pain, actively working to correct your posture can be a great starting point.
Avoid Slouching in Your Seat
Your mom said it. So did your teacher, and probably your doctor. Slouching puts pressure on all the wrong places and can cause pain in the shoulders, upper back, and lower back.
Sitting at a desk in an office for hours at a time can wreak havoc on your spinal alignment and posture. Slouching toward your keyboard or leaning into your desk is easy to do after a long day of typing, but try to practice a neutral posture. This means you should keep your computer monitor at eye level, pull your shoulders and back flat against the back of your seat, and rest your feet flat on the ground.
Wear Supportive Shoes
The shoes you wear have a surprising connection to your posture. If you are on your feet at work, shoes that accommodate any discrepancies in leg length and provide adequate arch support can go a long way toward alleviating posture issues and discomfort.
Wearing footwear such as tall heels, extremely flat shoes, or shoes that are too small can cause severe back pain and ruin your posture over time. If your feet fail to evenly absorb the shock your body weight places on them as you walk, you can suffer extreme joint, heel, and ankle pain.
The arch of your foot also helps support the curve of your spine, so if your shoes aren’t supportive, your alignment and posture may be thrown off. No need to toss out all of your fancy heels and boots, but for any occasion where you know you’ll be on your feet most of the time, look for shoes with great arch support and sole cushions.
Rest Your Feet
Even if you can’t sit because of your job requirements, consider using a small stepping stool to rest your feet one at a time. This helps preserve the curvature of your spine and relieves pressure.
Drive Properly
People spend a lot of their time sitting in the driver’s seat of their car, commuting to and from work and getting stuck in irritating traffic. We tend to adopt a casual, rounded posture while sitting in our cars, and this can lead to issues such as tight shoulders, lower back pain, and poor posture.
Adjust your seat as high as it can comfortably go in order to seat yourself in a neutral posture and avoid slouching the pelvis. You can also purchase an additional lumbar support accessory (or use a rolled towel or small pillow) to place in the seat. This helps preserve the natural arch of your lower back.
Bend Your Knees
Don’t let your hips and back do all of the work! By bending your knees, you’ll relieve some of that pressure on your back when leaning over and protect it from injury, especially when lifting.
Use Lumbar Support
If your office won’t provide you with a chair with built-in lumbar support, bring your own small pillow or cushion. Even a folded coat placed against your lower back can help.
Watch Out for Text Neck
“Text neck” is a modern term for the strain that texting and looking down at your phone places on your neck muscles. Because of an increase in screen time and the popularity of handheld devices, more and more individuals, especially younger people, are suffering from aching pain and injury in their necks. Constant staring down at your phone can also cause shoulder strain and upper back pain.
When you use your phone, try to avoid static postures, and position your device so that it reduces stress on your head and neck.
Don’t Suffer in Silence — Take Charge of Your Well-Being
If you want to discuss a customized plan to work on bettering your posture, or simply want to sign up for an adjustment in time for the new year, contact Spencer Chiropractic Center today for a consultation!
Not only can we provide short-term relief by performing adjustments to your spine, but we can also discuss ways to improve your posture to prevent your pain or discomfort from increasing or returning in the future.
Featured image via Unsplash