September Edition 2018
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Sitting Comfortably?
Sitting Comfortably?
Do you sit down for most of your day and wonder why you feel physically exhausted at the end of it? Headaches, back ache, shoulder aches and generally feeling drained? There is a good chance that you have actually been physically active and that you just didn't realise it. The bad news is that we're not talking about good healthy exercise.
I started to really notice a sore neck and shoulder ache and having now typed over 200 magazine articles on a laptop I knew that the cause was my own bad habits. If left to continue unchecked these aches would soon become bigger issues and so I set out to make some changes.
I started to really notice a sore neck and shoulder ache and having now typed over 200 magazine articles on a laptop I knew that the cause was my own bad habits. If left to continue unchecked these aches would soon become bigger issues and so I set out to make some changes.
All these images show everyday scenes and they all show bad body postures.
All these images show everyday scenes and they all show bad body postures.
Can you see what body part is perhaps the main cause of our aches and pains?
Can you see what body part is perhaps the main cause of our aches and pains?
"Your Head really is hurting you"
"Your Head really is hurting you"
About the size of a bowling ball your head is a heavy object.
About the size of a bowling ball your head is a heavy object.
The position of your head dictates your posture. Keeping your 'head up high' keeps you upright, 'puts a spring in your step' and aligns the rest of your body.
The position of your head dictates your posture. Keeping your 'head up high' keeps you upright, 'puts a spring in your step' and aligns the rest of your body.
Get it all wrong and you'll sit slouched forward over a keyboard and put your body under stresses.
Get it all wrong and you'll sit slouched forward over a keyboard and put your body under stresses.
For brief periods any body position is fine but after a few hours, repeated over days and weeks, it results in shoulder, back, neck, head aches and also physical exhaustion.
For brief periods any body position is fine but after a few hours, repeated over days and weeks, it results in shoulder, back, neck, head aches and also physical exhaustion.
Sometimes we all need a 'poke' to remind us how to help ourselves.
Sometimes we all need a 'poke' to remind us how to help ourselves.
Don't use a mobile device !
Don't use a mobile device !
This sounds easy BUT designer icons, personal image, ego or mobile convenience usually decide whether or not you'll actually do this.
This sounds easy BUT designer icons, personal image, ego or mobile convenience usually decide whether or not you'll actually do this.
Looking downwards towards the fixed screen makes you round your shoulders, arch your spine and slouch forward.
Looking downwards towards the fixed screen makes you round your shoulders, arch your spine and slouch forward.
The narrow width of the laptop keyboard or thumb sized mobile phone means that you reach inwards with you forearms and again you will round your shoulders which, over a period of time, is a very tiring position to maintain.
The narrow width of the laptop keyboard or thumb sized mobile phone means that you reach inwards with you forearms and again you will round your shoulders which, over a period of time, is a very tiring position to maintain.
The laptop solution is to have a separate keyboard and mouse and, if there's no alternative to the laptop monitor, to raise the top of the laptop screen to just above eye level height with a stand positioned at arm's length.
The laptop solution is to have a separate keyboard and mouse and, if there's no alternative to the laptop monitor, to raise the top of the laptop screen to just above eye level height with a stand positioned at arm's length.
Sit on a chair!
Sit on a chair!
If you are an office worker then most task chairs have multiple comfort adjusters so find out how to use them to suit your body. Most people adjust their chair only once and NEVER again!
If you are an office worker then most task chairs have multiple comfort adjusters so find out how to use them to suit your body. Most people adjust their chair only once and NEVER again!
We know when we're feeling comfortable but sitting properly does not actually come naturally to people.
We know when we're feeling comfortable but sitting properly does not actually come naturally to people.
Our bodies were not designed for sitting in seats for long periods of time. We're designed for movement and we should do so frequently. We should re adjust the chair first thing in the morning, lunchtime and again later in the afternoon as our bodies acclimatise to the changes between waking up through to getting tired and returning to sleep.
Our bodies were not designed for sitting in seats for long periods of time. We're designed for movement and we should do so frequently. We should re adjust the chair first thing in the morning, lunchtime and again later in the afternoon as our bodies acclimatise to the changes between waking up through to getting tired and returning to sleep.
Summary of the BASIC guidelines:
Summary of the BASIC guidelines:
Don't lock the back rest in a fixed position.
Sit at the back of the seat pad and ensure that behind your knee there is a gap of a few fingers at the front of the seat pad.
Sit upright with your chin slightly up to relax your front and back neck muscles.
Legs should be bent 90 degrees so that your feet, which are both flat on the floor slightly in front of you, are only feeling some leg weight.
You arms should be at your sides when your shoulders are square and elbows more open than 90 degrees so that forearms are pointing slightly down onto the desktop.
Keep Moving
Keep Moving
Essentially be a fidget and don't stay still in you seat for hours on end. Get up occasionally and have a stretch. You'll feel so much better for it.
Essentially be a fidget and don't stay still in you seat for hours on end. Get up occasionally and have a stretch. You'll feel so much better for it.
Sit at a Desk
Sit at a Desk
If the desk surface cannot be height adjusted then raise you chair up high enough to match it and use a foot stool if you can't reach the floor. Ladies, who change the height of their heels, should really notice the difference a foot stool makes.
If the desk surface cannot be height adjusted then raise you chair up high enough to match it and use a foot stool if you can't reach the floor. Ladies, who change the height of their heels, should really notice the difference a foot stool makes.
If the arm rests of your fancy desk chair prevent you from sliding it in under/over the desk surface then take them off or you will slouch forward to reach and use a keyboard.
If the arm rests of your fancy desk chair prevent you from sliding it in under/over the desk surface then take them off or you will slouch forward to reach and use a keyboard.
Keyboard Rests
Keyboard Rests
Not having to over use the muscles in your hands and forearms to lift up your fingers and type will reduce muscle fatigue.
Not having to over use the muscles in your hands and forearms to lift up your fingers and type will reduce muscle fatigue.
No connection to us but we like this quick overview.
No connection to us but we like this quick overview.
We don't agree with the ball chair advice since there's evidence that it stresses other muscles as the body attempts to constantly balance itself.
There's MORE !
There's MORE !
Neck, shoulder and back ache might not only be caused by desk and mobile phone use and adjusting how we use office equipment might not be the only thing to change.
Neck, shoulder and back ache might not only be caused by desk and mobile phone use and adjusting how we use office equipment might not be the only thing to change.
See what your answers to these are:
See what your answers to these are:
Do you have any history of a physical injury ?
Do you have any history of a physical injury ?
You should sort it out with a physio before it gets worse.
When did you last change your bed ?
When did you last change your bed ?
You spend a third of your life in bed so don't ignore your mattress.
What other sporting activities do you do ?
What other sporting activities do you do ?
Not doing any means you're becoming inflexible.
Doing too much of one constantly overworks the same joints and muscles which is bad for you in the long term
How long is your daily commute and by what form of transport ?
How long is your daily commute and by what form of transport ?
Sitting in an inflexible or cramped position for long periods is creating a long term problem.
Sometimes a change of lifestyle is needed and not just supporting equipment.
Sometimes a change of lifestyle is needed and not just supporting equipment.
Read Next in Sept 2018 Edition
Read Next in Sept 2018 Edition
4 months on and we review the local changes in the Navan South Area.
Summer might be ending but there's plenty of time to enjoy our gardens.
If you're looking to reduce your home energy bills research the available government grants.
It's not often that something that can save you lots of money is offered for FREE.
We discovered that it's TRUE.
With so many new homes being built they all need furniture. Where would you buy yours?
Do you sit down for most of your day and wonder why you feel physically exhausted at the end of it?
We ask members of a local group to tell us how support can really help make a difference.
Are you discovering that you're not as fit as you were when you were much younger?
Let Darragh Creamer convince you to change that.
We catch up with last month's sports games with a brief selection of local reports.
Things to do this month with updates daily as readers tell us what they're attending.
It's always good to Win something so see what to enter and who won last month's prizes.
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