If your neck hurts, change your chair

Today, almost all work is done using computers, so most people have to spend the whole day sitting, staring at the monitor. In order for the performance of professional duties not to be a provoking factor in the development of serious health problems, it is important to remember how correct your body position is throughout the working day. The right chair can save you from constant feeling of fatigue, prevent the development of diseases of the back and neck.

Have you ever wondered how well your workplace is equipped? The wrong choice of chair can affect the overall functioning of the body, cause muscle tension, neck and back pain, and lead to other more serious consequences. Read the article about what should be the position of the body during work and how to choose the right chair. 

Causes and consequences of incorrect body position during work

According to experts, if a person takes a comfortable position and feels quite comfortable, this does not mean at all that such a position is correct.  Performing monotonous sedentary work will sooner or later lead to such a consequence as carpal tunnel syndrome, in which disturbances of the peripheral nervous system occur, caused by pinching of the nerves in their natural canals-tunnels.

Tunnel syndrome is characterized by the appearance of pain in the wrists. In addition, numbness of the hands occurs: the right one, which constantly holds the mouse, or both at once, in case a person at work prints a lot. This is due to a kind of “suffocation” nerves in their natural "cases". In this case, avoiding pain in the hands, as well as their weakness, is unlikely to be avoided. Tunnel syndrome, which often occurs in people whose professional activities are associated with the tension of individual muscles, is a serious threat to office workers. Unfortunately, there are no clear algorithms for avoiding the syndrome, because different conditions are suitable for each person. 

So, for someone, a chair with high armrests will be an ideal solution, thanks to which it will be possible to have a right angle of bending the arm at the elbow. Others are more accustomed to keeping the trays on the table. The main criterion is compliance with the arm bend angle of 90 degrees. 

If, after hard work at the desktop, which lasted more than one hour, a person feels tired (stiff neck, tense muscles in the back and lower back) – this is a signal of improperly selected furniture. The selection of a chair should be based on an analysis of your own feelings. For example, if a person develops a habit of sitting too low, the head will take the wrong position, leaning back, and setting the computer monitor too high would also be a wrong decision. Both such errors can provoke the development of cervical lordosis. 

How to choose the right chair:

• backrest tilt and seat height must be adjustable;
• it is desirable that the chair moves on wheels;
• the width and depth of the seat must be at least 40 cm, and the recommended height of the supporting surface of the backrest must be 30 ± 2cm;
• the back of the chair should repeat the curves of the spine, and it should also serve as a support for the lower back;
• the seat should be tilted slightly forward, which transfers pressure from the spine to the legs and hips;
• to reduce pressure on the hips, it is worth choosing a chair so that the edge of the seat is slightly bent;
• the chair (chair) must be hard or semi-hard.

The use of such a surface will improve blood circulation in the pelvis.

Three-minute gymnastics will help get rid of neck pain even in the office.