Sitting too long can be a pain in the neck

According to research, a third (33 per cent) of employees have taken at least one day off work in the last year due to back or neck pain.

Almost half say it is due to spending long periods of time sitting at their desks, according to the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), which also suggests workers suffering from back or neck pain are absent for an average of 12 days per year due to their condition. With office working Brits spending the equivalent of 67 days a year sitting at their desk, there is a case for employers to encourage their staff to move around more and take regular breaks during the working day. There are also some practical solutions; including being offered a desk assessment, ergonomic chairs or laptop stands by an employer to help reduce the level of pain experienced.

At Anne Corder Recruitment, our wellbeing focus for the month of February is posture – and the importance of sitting at your desk properly. The field of ergonomics examines how the work we do affects our bodies, focussing on the elements of force and motion. When we are sitting down, the force of the upper body settles into the lower back (lumbar) region of the spine. Sitting properly and having a chair which is a ‘best fit’ for your work and needs could be the difference between comfort and productivity, or pain and time off work.

Our tips for sitting properly at your desk and some chair ‘know-how’:

Make sure your head is balanced and not leaning forward.

Ideally your forearms are parallel to the desk.

Your screen should be approximately arms length from you. Sit back in your chair ensuring good support. The top of your screen should be about eye level. Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest. Hips should be the same level or higher than the knees.

Poor posture can affect almost every part of the body, and it also common to get pains in the elbow or wrist joints simply as a result of not sitting properly. This can lead to repetitive strain injury, and hunched shoulders can also cause neck pain and even headaches.

No one should feel they need to be confined to sitting at their desk all day at the expense of their health. It is in employers’ interests to offer proactive help and advice to protect the health of their employees. There are many simple things workers can do to stay active during the day. This could start with something as simple as sipping on a small glass of water and standing up to refill it each time its empty, or walking up and down the stairs.