PROPER SITTING AND MOVEMENT AT THE COMPUTER

We live a hectic life, but that does not mean we are moving, running or walking. We are rushing while sitting down! A sedentary lifestyle has become a phenomenon of our times.

This oxymoron captures today's world rather accurately. Digitalisation has brought many benefits that make our work easier in certain ways. But thanks to these changes in the modern world, we humans have become lazier and move less. We often fail to realise just how fundamentally a sedentary lifestyle affects our health and vitality. What does sitting all day long do to us, and how can a life without movement endanger our body? The back will pay the price.

From the perspective of the musculoskeletal system, sitting has the greatest impact on the spine. When seated, the spine loses its natural anterior-posterior curvature, which alters the mechanics of how the intervertebral discs are loaded, particularly in the lumbar region. In an incorrect posture, the weight of the body together with gravitational force can gradually cause degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. Our "hunched" spine also restricts the function of breathing. We often breathe shallowly, using only the accessory respiratory muscles, while primary breathing through the diaphragm lags behind. The static seated position also affects the soft tissues — that is, the muscles and nerves — which, if we do not move properly, become shortened and weakened. The reason is their long-term lack of blood supply — for example, in the gluteal muscles. Sitting also has a negative impact on the pelvic area and the pelvic floor muscles, which we do not engage while seated, yet which are extremely important for the body's proper functioning.

Pain will warn you: What kind of pain can arise from prolonged sitting?

Sitting also affects our vascular system. During prolonged sitting, the volume of blood travelling back through the veins from the lower limbs decreases. If we sit at the computer for a long time, our eyesight is also at risk. The eyes become tired and their ability to accommodate deteriorates.

The human body is able to adapt and adjust to all the stimuli we expose it to. It is so intelligent that if it does not like something, it warns us through pain. Pain is the main expression of disagreement and at the same time belongs among the most common problems associated with prolonged sitting.

Physiotherapists regularly encounter people suffering from headaches, neck pain, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow. The aforementioned issues are merely a small example of what can develop into far more serious problems.

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Clever rules: How to sit correctly at the computer?

Fortunately, there are several ways to avert these unfavourable scenarios. The first step is to adjust your seated posture as well as your working environment.

Here are a few tips on how to do it:

1. Choose your sitting height so that the angles in the knee and hip joints form an obtuse angle (>90°). With this setup, there is less pressure on the lumbar spine. In simple terms, it should look as though your knees are lower than your hips.
2. Adjust the height of your chair to the height of your desk so that, when you are sitting upright, your forearms rest freely on the armrests or on the desk. If the desk is too high, your shoulders will be raised. Conversely, if the desk is too low, your elbows will hang in the air.
3. Avoid working with a laptop. If it is unavoidable, get an external keyboard and raise the laptop to eye level.
4. Another way to avoid the troubles brought on by prolonged sitting is to turn sitting itself into a form of physical activity.

Balance at work = Healthy movement at work

It may sound strange, but it is possible. The human body is made for movement, and therefore we should create conditions in which it can move. The fundamental building block is a mobile chair that will force you to constantly seek a new position. A balance pad can also serve as a certain substitute. Surprise your body and place one under your seat for half an hour — you can demonstrate your balancing skills to your colleagues. However, do not sit on its top, but slightly forward, so as to achieve the correct position of the pelvis and the straightening of the lumbar spine.

If you do not lean back against the backrest while sitting, try placing an overball behind your back. You can position it at the level of the thoracic or lumbar spine and try to press gently against it so that your muscles remain active.

If you use an exercise ball while working, do not sit on it for more than 30 minutes. Stabilising on an exercise ball can lead to overloading of the back.

In addition to using suitable aids that make sitting more dynamic, it is essential to try to stand up and move as often as possible.

• Walk around while you are on the phone.
• Take your colleagues out for coffee.
• Do a few squats and stretch.
• The last and most important aspect of properly compensating for prolonged sitting is to avoid it outside of working hours.

Exercise, move, do sports, go for walks, run! Anything is better for the body than sitting.

This article was prepared by senior physiotherapist Michal Slotta for RELAX magazine.