How To Improve Your Posture At Work
- Jeremy Tarwater PT, DPT
- Sep 19, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated September 18th, 2022
Introduction
As new generations enter the work-force, America becomes more sedentary. Jobs in the past that were more physically demanding and required movement throughout the day are being replaced by technology and more efficient ways to get things done. While this has been great for our economy and productivity, the overall health of the general population has suffered. Many jobs now require 8-10 hours of sitting per day, with minimal need to move away from the desk. A recent study found that nearly 80% of Americans work desk/office jobs! That's a lot of sitting!! (1)
If this describes your job, don’t let that desk confinement be your excuse. Read my
5 Creative Ways to Be More Active At Work article to learn how you can make your next move your best move.
I will go through some tips and tricks for those who aren’t able to move away from their desk as much or are looking for ways to maintain good posture throughout the day.
Importance of Posture
How many times did we hear in grade school, “FIX YOUR POSTURE”? How many of us listened?...Posture is not only important for helping us pay attention to the task at hand, but also for placing our body in the optimal position to avoid injuries and maintain important movement patterns. Common movement patterns that we practice daily are walking, picking things up from the floor, moving objects from one surface to another. If you stay in poor posture for most of the day, you will likely be in poor posture for these movements because it is the most comfortable position for you to be in. Check out the pictures below. Which form do you think places more stress on the back and joints?
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The Real World
But Jeremy, why do I need to know how to lift in the proper position when I’m at my desk job all day? Good question. Even if you aren’t a gym regular, you still need to perform lifting motions every single day. Do you have to do laundry, dishes, vacuum, pick up after the kids, scoop up your dog's poop, or any other activities that require picking things up or moving them? If you said no to all of these, PLEASE get a hold of me so I can figure out how to get out of doing them as well.
Since we all agree you have too many things on your to-do list, let’s get back to posture. If you sit with poor posture for 8+ hours per day and then try to get daily activities done, it is very likely that you will acquire soreness and be more vulnerable to injury and pain even during the easy tasks! (2)
Proper Posture
The image above shows poor sitting posture. Have you ever found yourself in this position? I tend to find myself here by the end of the day while I’m typing/writing notes, just trying to finish things up at work. This position causes the muscles on the front of your body, such as your chest and hip flexors, to become tight. And it causes your back muscles, the ones that are oh so important for lifting, to become stretched out and weak. No wonder so many people experience back pain!
This is an example of good posture, and I know what you are thinking. How does Jeremy sit like this all day? The answer is that I don’t. There are always going to be days where you get home and need to relax a bit on the couch. The important thing to remember is that moving frequently will stop you from falling out of good posture. So you really only need to maintain that posture for 20-30 minutes at a time if you are moving often. 20-30 minutes sounds a lot easier than 8 hours right?
Exercises That Promote Good Posture
Below are a few videos of my favorite postural exercises. You will see a few stretches that can be done right at work or at home. There are also strengthening exercises that will help you maintain your good posture for longer without feeling like it is an extra task to do all day.
Conclusion
As we come to the end of this important topic, I hope you are recognizing a common theme. MOVEMENT. The human body wasn’t created to sit still for hours or more at a time. It was made to move and function in order to complete daily tasks efficiently without injury. I know, we don’t all have cool jobs like Jeremy where exercising all day with my patients is normal. For those of you who are chained to that desk, be more conscious of your posture throughout the day and your body will thank you.
References
1. What Percentage of Americans Work Desk Jobs? | The Desired Desk. https://thedesireddesk.com/what-percentage-of-americans-work-desk-jobs/
2. Dzakpasu FQS, Carver A, Brakenridge CJ, et al. Musculoskeletal pain and sedentary behaviour in occupational and non-occupational settings: a systematic review with meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2021;18(1). doi:10.1186/s12966-021-01191-y
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