Desk Jobs
Does Your Desk Job Hurt Your Back?
Sitting at a desk for a large part of the day, answering telephones and fixating upon computer screens can become overwhelmingly tiring on the body. A decent chair and correctly positioned work -station can moderately help to stave off back, neck or shoulder pain.
I must reiterate the point, moderately. A good chair and correct ergonomics will help but not solve the problem. The issue with pain at your desk environment arises from misuse, habituated postures and repetitive motion strain (RMS).
The above mentioned cause our muscles to become chronically contracted, thereby creating an imbalance to our movements and posture.
Habitually contracted muscles can cause pain and fatigue through constant use and are often confused with the signs of growing old.
Years of adjusting to these changes can lead to pain in the back, neck, shoulders, hips and knees, eventually leading to issues such as sciatica, scoliosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, disc degeneration, arthritis and other structural/functional issues.
There is also another reason why our muscles become habitually contracted in the workplace emotional stress.
Stress responses when repeatedly triggered will cause us to hold ourselves (muscles) tightly, emotionally we might feel pressured, short tempered fearful or overwhelmed. When these signals hit our brain the trigger is to contract muscles, this can bring about fatigue, lack of concentration and pain. When this cycle is repeated over and over, we become trapped in a vice like grip of muscular contraction, impinging upon our every movement and thought.
How Can You Change This?
To change this cycle that repeats itself day after day, you need to introduce new co-ordinated patterns of movements into your workplace and life in general. Muscles habitually contract because strong reflex messages from involuntary levels of the brain instruct them to do so. The movement technique of Hanna Somatic Education can help to override this action by teaching individuals very easy to perform somatic exercises that take very little time to do. The exercises are known as pandiculations, are a contraction and slow elongation of specific muscles, a kind of whole body yawn.
They are practiced on the floor, slowly, with awareness and always staying within the boundaries of comfort so as not to evoke a resistance from muscles. The slow nature of the movement stimulates the higher/voluntary levels of the brain, this helps to relax muscles and override the involuntary habit to contract them.
There are two ways to learn somatic exercises, via 1-1 sessions with a Hanna Somatic Educator or Somatic Classes.
Either way, the educative process helps to restore a balance to your musculature system. You can experience an immediate improvement to your posture, comfort levels, flexibility and all round wellbeing.
In addition to the floor exercises, you can be taught simple postural enhancing exercises for your chair at work. The contract and release type movements can help to relax back, neck, shoulder and abdominal muscles whilst at your workstation.
In Conclusion:
Using somatic exercises on a daily basis can quickly help to change long - standing habits picked up in the work environment and other areas of life.
Sitting in your chair for long periods will become easier, the exercises are the tool for managing your stress and creating a freedom and comfort to movements.
About the Author
If you are struggling with pain related to working at a desk then somatics might be your answer. Why not learn the basics of somatics through special hanna somatic classes?
What are some good paying jobs that don't require sitting at a desk in front of a computer everyday?
I am starting to think of career options and all i really know is that i don't want to sit and a desk all day doing the same thing over and over again. I would like to be moving around not always indoors and maybe some excitement. I don't care if they are the highest paying jobs but i would like them to be decent paying. Thanks for the help
Conservation officer, forest or park ranger, forester, wildlife biologist, geologist
Desk Jobs
Panasonic HMC150 "My Life - Desk Job" Short
Stand And Deliver: Standing Workstations Healthy Alternative To Traditional Desks
With obesity in the U.S. becoming what some would consider an epidemic, many people are beginning to look at their lifestyles and re-evaluate what's causing them to put on the pounds. While most of the unwanted weight can be attributed to lack of exercise and healthy eating habits, it's no surprised that having a desk job-where you literally sit for eight hours a day-doesn't help. People who stand and move about during their work day burn more calories than those of us who sit in front of a computer or switchboard. But you don't have to give up your career to be thin. According to the November 2007 issue of Women's Health Magazine, stand-up desks burn one calorie more per minute than sitting. Although it might not sound like much that equates to 480 burned calories in a single eight hour workday. Considering you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of body fat, burning 480 additional calories a day means burning that one pound in eight days. It's not a substitute for portion-control and gym workouts by any means, but if you have the option to do so, why not stack the cards in your favor instead of against you? Switching to a standing workstation could be exactly what you need to help you keep weight off.
For less than $300, you can buy a Wall Mount, standing workstation from Versa Products, Inc. Their complete line of wall mount and sit-to-stand computer desks not only allow you to stand while you work, but also take up less space than a traditional desk. The work stations are completely customizable. You can add multiple monitors or writing platforms, choose the color, even adjust the height. They're perfect for households, doctor's offices, banks, schools, and other busy administrative work environments. Many of Versa's sit-to-stand options, like the popular Fusion Cart, is also mobile, so it can be pushed from room to room and the wheels can be locked in place to prevent movement when a stationary work center is needed.
For those of you not familiar with Versa, you should be. One of Los Angeles' fastest-growing furniture companies, they provide American-made, top of the line computer furniture for universities, businesses, medical institutions, and the military. Along with their fully customizable line of computer desks and office furniture, they also design furniture solutions for trade shows, mobile medical units, security hubs, and modified solutions to accommodate physically-challenged users. The company ships its products for free (important when purchasing a heavy and expensive-to-ship item like a desk) and offers a no-hassle lifetime warranty on every product it sells from keyboard trays to custom-made LAN racks.
With designs based on ergonomic principles, Versa also sells options for existing desks to make your sitting workspace more healthy and comfortable. Options like articulating keyboard trays and height-adjustable monitor arms can improve a computer workstation greatly, reducing fatigue, eye strain, and minimizing the risk of conditions like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
About the Author
Versatables supplies a large line of high-quality computer accessories ideal for increasing productivity, as well as health. Visit their website today to examine their
computer tables
and
LAN Racks
.