Bound to your desk!

Bound to your desk

The body and its musculoskeletal system are designed to move and be dynamic.

There lies the problem with office workers. On average, an office worker spends 80,000 hours seated at a desk during their career and sits for 10 to 12 hours each day.

Staying seated for long periods, especially with poor posture, can lead to weak upper back muscles, thoracic curvature, rotated shoulders, tight chest muscles and shortened hamstrings.

Current advice and evidence is to get up and get active whilst working.

This will maintain metabolic activity, break down fats and reduce glucose levels.  Movement will also assist with good posture and reduce muscle fatigue.

Take frequent screen breaks, spending a couple of minutes doing light exercise.

Keep hydrated and take comfort breaks. If appropriate, stand in meetings or whilst on the phone. Don’t e-mail – go and talk to people instead.

Over a working day aim to spend at least two hours standing.  Sit for one hour and then stand for 20 minutes repeating this pattern throughout the day.

Excluding lunch, over a 7.5 hour day you aim to sit for five hours, stand for two and move for 30 minutes, undertaking 16 sit-to-stand movements.

Avoid lifts, taking the stairs where possible.

The take-home message is; support your body the way it’s designed to function best.

Put simply, the body is dynamic so move!

Neil Herbert

MSK and Occupational Health physio

Bury Physio Clinic