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HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE AT WORK

Why workplace ergonomics matters

Common health issues caused by poor ergonomics

What is the
right posture?

Healthy workplace habits to support your posture

Sitting and standing properly is integral to our health and wellbeing.

If we sit slumped at our desks at work, use our screens for long periods without a break, or strain to reach things, this can lead to back, neck and eye strain or musculoskeletal injuries, as well as fatigue, low mood, poor sleep, and even depression.

But before we dive into what is the right posture, first we need to understand the world of workplace ergonomics.

Why workplace ergonomics matters

Workplace ergonomics is one of the single biggest factors that organisations need to consider for successful growth. Creating comfort for people, wherever they work, is not a nice-to-have. Implemented properly, best practice ergonomics helps people work comfortably and safely and reduces many organisational risks.

Discomfort when we’re working, whether this is straining to see a screen or having to stretch our arms out to use a keyboard, is more than a temporary inconvenience. Over time, minor irritations can develop into a wide range of health and musculoskeletal issues that may become life-limiting for the individual and costly for the employer.

Business costs can include growing levels of chronic injuries, high absence levels, high staff turnover, lower productivity and poor employee morale.

Common health issues caused by poor ergonomics

Four of the most common health problems caused by poor posture and work set-ups are:

Eye strain
Using a screen for hours without a break is one of the main causes of eye strain. Symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, light sensitivity, watery, sore, dry or itchy eyes and twitching eyelids.

One in three of us are said to have noticed a deterioration in our eyesight due to increased screen time since 2020¹.

Back pain
If our backs are not properly supported, this can change the alignment of the spine, causing it to lose its natural curve.

Excessive strain on the spine can become so bad that it puts strain on the discs, the fluid-filled cushions that protect the vertebrae from rubbing together, so that these discs weaken and the vertebrae erode.

This can lead to long-term pain and discomfort, and conditions such as slipped disc or degenerative disc disease.

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on a nerve in the wrist, which creates symptoms such as tingling, numbness and pain in the hand and fingers. Recovery can take months.

Prolonged or repetitive use of work equipment, from the computer mouse to vibrating tools, can lead to this condition.

Repetitive strain injury
Repeated movements by certain parts of the body, such as the shoulders, elbows, forearms and wrists, hands, and fingers, can lead to repetitive strain injury.

This condition often creates a burning, aching or throbbing feeling, stiffness and weakness, pins-and-needles or numbness and muscle cramps.

What is the right posture?

Good posture refers to your spine being in a neutral position. This reduces the strain on your joints, muscles and ligaments. Below we explore how you can achieve this in your workplace.

Healthy workplace habits to support your posture

Just as important as how we sit or stand is incorporating good ergonomic habits into our daily working lives to help us to stay healthier, happier and injury-free:

Movement

Our bodies were not designed to stay still for long periods of time. Any sitting position, even an easy one, can become tiring when we force our bodies – and musculoskeletal systems - to be sedentary for too long.

We need to make time for stretching, standing up and moving by taking regular breaks from our screens and workstations. For the health of our eyes and bodies, the advice is to get up and walk around every 20 minutes.

Frequent movement can help reduce the risks of putting on weight, Type 2 diabetes, and muscle loss, and can also lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

By making regular switches in our movement and posture, we can also protect against musculoskeletal injury.

A height adjustable desk can help remove the sedentary downside of sitting at a desk continuously.

When we repeat a motion we put repeated strain on muscle groups. This strain can often be felt in our upper bodies when we use a computer, in our wrists, arms and shoulders.

One way to reduce this risk of repetitive strain injury, is by using an ergonomic mouse and keyboard support.

Maintain body alignment

Experts advise distributing our body weight evenly to the front, back and sides of our feet, when we’re standing. Avoid leaning on your desk. If you’re feeling tired there’s nothing wrong with taking a break and sitting down for a short while.

Working from home

The risks of injury don’t disappear when we’re working from home, or in any remote location. The principles of good posture and workplace ergonomics apply here too.

We should try to create a dedicated workspace, where we can work away from distractions, with enough space for a desk, chair and monitor so that we can work as comfortably, and ergonomically, as we would ‘at work’.

Avoid working on the sofa because as tempting as it is, the short term comfort will quickly be replaced by long term health issues.

The future is ergonomic

Workplace ergonomics, and our health at work, is a hot topic.

While we can all take steps now to build healthy postural habits, and a good working environment, new developments will make it easier than ever to improve our workspaces.

Now you know the fundamentals of improving your posture at work, why not take our free online Healthy Workstation Assessment? It takes less than five minutes to complete and includes a personalised report based on your environment, with suggestions for improvements where needed.


Healthy Workstation Assessment

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