Your July Health Tip:

Keeping Yourself Healthy in the Office
Many people are talking about "Office ergonomics" these days, but what does it all mean for you? Ergonomics is the science relating to a person and his work, as per Dorland's Medical Dictionary. Thus, in addition to having the correct equipment to perform your job most efficiently, you need to use the equipment properly. The key components to remaining healthy and painfree at work are proper posture, taking regular breaks, exercise, and modifying your workstation.

Proper Posture: You could have a workstation designed with the best, most expensive products and still have problems. You need to use the equipment properly for it to be effective. When using the backrest of your chair, you must have your buttock all the way back in the chair to avoid slouching. You should balance your head over your trunk by trying to keep your ears aligned with your shoulders. When writing or reading on the flat desktop, you should try to sit forward in your chair, and pivot your trunk forward from the hips to keep you chest erect and your spine straight.

You can lean your abdomen directly against the desktop to support yourself. To lift something from the floor, you need to get out of your chair, directly face the object to be lifted (even light objects) and squat by bending through your knees to prevent stress through the low back. All of the office equipment you use must be within arms reach of your desk.

Breaks: You should take regular breaks every 30-60 minutes from any repetitive task. Vary your tasks throughout your day instead of doing all similar tasks at the same time.

Exercise: Stretching before, during, and after repetitive activities can help reduce the chance of injury. If you sit at a desk a great deal of time, you should regularly stretch your neck, chest, and arms. If you stand for most of your day, you should stretch your legs, neck, and chest. Most of the activities we perform at work and at home are in front of us, and thus we have a tendency to round our shoulders, bend forward, and slouch. Strengthening your upper back muscles (in between your shoulder blades) can improve your posture and decrease the likelihood of assuming this poor posture for extended periods of time.