How to Avoid Office Injuries: Workplace Ergonomics
How to Survive Sitting in an Office All Day
Most injuries experienced by office workers are due to the highly static nature of office work. Employees will often start their day at 8:30am and only get out of their desk to use the washroom or for lunch. This creates 4-5 hour stretches of time with very little movement, making body posture a very important risk factor.
GET MOVING
While your desk set up is very important to your physical comfort, the best thing for your body is movement. Movement increases circulation of blood and lubricates joints to prevent sore muscles and stiff joints. Stretching at your desk can prevent sore, stiff muscles.
Check out our Office Stretches blog post for ideas!
SETTING UP YOUR WORKSTATION
Check out the following guides on how to set up your workstation:
SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS
Avoid back stiffness by moving around frequently:
• Get up from your desk at least once an hour
• Recline in your chair to encourage blood flow to back muscles
• Move your feet around under your desk. Changing foot positions (by stretching your legs out or using a footrest) changes the distribution of force through your body, altering blood flow patterns and reducing muscle stiffness.
Posture and Ergonomics
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