As promised, an exhibition of your postures!!
Thanks for contributing folks!
There is a few similarities you’ll see here. What do these postures make you think of? How do they make you feel? How do you think the artist was feeling at the time?
They mostly don’t look very comfortable do they? Infact it’s fair to say that most look down right painful!! Despite the rain outside, the pink one is probably much more what you might aspire to.
What is interesting is that what I know about these contributors, is that they all know about healthy posture, they each have an active lifestyle and most have a bodywork practice. They are all body aware people. (I’m in there too remember!).
Nobody is immune to the pitfalls of computer posture. Gravity doesn’t stop while we stop being active. It has no mercy on desk workers. We have to fight back of our own accord people!!
Try doing a google image search of ‘computer posture’, you are certainly not alone!! There are some handy hints there on desk ergonomics if you need them ,too!
TOP 3 REASONS COMPUTER POSTURE IS BAD FOR YOU
1. It can kill you. You are 54% more likely to die of a heart attack from long periods of sitting REGARDLESS of exercising outside of those times!…Scarey hey?…. Read this article on Men’s Health for more info..
2. Your spine compresses, leading to restricted breathing and poor movement control. (You’re suffocating!)
3. Sustained sitting results in weak and tight muscles from lack of activity and blood flow. (You’re becoming a desk potato)
Sounds a tad urgent doesn’t it?… DO YOU HAVE A DESK JOB? WHAT CAN YOU DO?
TOP 5 CHANGES TO MAKE
1. STAND UP! Every 20 minutes. Put it on a sticky note (real or virtual) or make an alarm. Stand up and turn around at least!!!!
2. Wriggle. Wriggle your toes, shake your hands, wriggle your tail. Start slowly and then warm up and shake! Shrug your shoulders up and down and circle them forward and back, then when warm, wriggle them up and down. Lift your heels up and down, folding your feet.
3. Stretch your chest up to the ceiling, reach your arms up and back, like a big yawn, BREATHE deeply. Turn your upper body to one side then the other, moving from your ribs not just your head. (Don’t fall off the chair if you are still sitting – infact, get up!)
4. Squeeze your butt!!!! Hold it…, release and repeat 5 times. Then squeeze and release more quickly.
5. Walk. Toilet stop, water, deliver message or information in person, photocopy, printer visit. Don’t get others to do small things for you. Stand up while on the phone. Stand up to put something in the bin. (Move it further away if it’s too close).
You might look like you have ants in your pants at first, but who’s going to be laughing at the end of the day, when you are alive and joyous to enjoy your hours off?! (Regardless of who is trailing off to a workout remember!)
Our bodies love to move. Best of all, they love to move well and whatever demands we place on them, they do their best to respond to. They are obedient.
But some demands are a little unreasonable. Like sitting in a chair for hours on end, neck pushed forward, lower back compressed, legs and hips stiff, probably leaning to one side and shoulders slumped forward.
Your body tissues change in order to act more like straps holding you in a fixed place because that is the task you are demanding.
With practice, muscles are much better at what they were designed for, lengthening and shortening in order to create movement control. If you needed muscle repair, would you ask a surgeon to implant a belt? Probably not as your first choice.
Here’s a little inspiration (yoga intensive posture)
It’s not too late, commit to new habits. They take time to create, so be prepared to stick at it. Let your muscles do what they are best at and they will impress you with what they can achieve.
NOW STAND UP!
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Best regards,
Ron