BENGALURU: There is growing evidence that your posture contributes to many health benefits, right from reducing back or joint pains to lifting your spirits. Though modern day desk jobs may not be conducive to perfect posture, there cannot be any excuse not to sit up straight.
Here are a few postures and exercises you must adopt at work, to avoid any muscular pain or skeletal complications.
When sitting at the computer table
■ Feet should touch the floor
■ Hands should be bent at the elbow
■ Palms should be resting on the table while typing.
■ Keyboard and mouse should be easily accessible
■ Monitor should be at the eye level not above or below it.
■ Light should ideally come from above.
After every 20 minutes just look at something that is 20 metres or further from you. This reduces the strain on the eye that comes from constantly staring at a nearby object.
Further, you can do some simple exercises to keep yourself healthy
■ Raise the roof (20 reps)
While marching in place, push toward the ceiling with your palms up and thumbs almost touching your shoulders. Make it harder by holding water bottles.
■ Triceps kick (20 reps)
While marching in place, bend at the hips, about 45 degrees. Bend your elbows, then extend them behind you as if you are lifting weights.
■ The Hulk (20 reps)
Keep marching and leaning. With your elbows bent and fists together in front, move your arms back like wings. Try to touch your shoulder blades together.
■ Hamstring curl (20 reps)
Bend arms at the elbow. Bring one foot up toward your rear end while straightening your arms so that your hands are down when your foot is up.
■ Knee lift (20 reps)
Just like hamstring curls, except you lift your knee up in front as your arms go down.
■ Punching (20 reps)
While rocking foot to foot, punch with alternating arms. To reduce elbow stress, try not to fully straighten your arm.
■ Desk pushup (10 reps)
Place hands on edge of desk, shoulder width apart, legs out behind you. Push off with as much force as you can.
■ Walking (10 min.)
Lap your block or a floor of your office. Try for a pace of 100 steps per minute, which is easy if you don't stop to play with tchotchkes on other people's desks.
The author is a Consultant, Joint Replacement and Arthroscopic surgery, at Aster CMI hospital