Healthy Posture
and
Wellbeing
Information & advice
for a
healthier approach to
using your computer
Michael Brown Associates
Consultancy & Training
9 St Lawrence Lane
Ashburton
Devon
TQ13 7DD
01364 654195
07775528876
[email protected]
©The information contained in this information pack is the
intellectual property of Michael Brown and cannot be
duplicated without his express permission
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WELCOME TO YOUR INFORMATION PACK
The combination of a comfortable, well set-up workstation designed to meet your individual needs, and the
ongoing consideration to your posture and body use will allow you to maintain good health and an improved
sense of wellbeing at the computer.
As a human being you are designed for movement. However, our modern working practices often keep us in
a fixed position, eg at a computer, which is contrary to our body’s natural desire for movement. This puts
undue stress on the musculo-skeletal system and encourages poor posture. Keeping the body in a static
position for long periods also reduces our capacity to receive vital information about the state of our body
such as the build up of undue pressure, tension and tiredness.
It is therefore essential that you keep this in mind during the course of a working day and build in
opportunities to ‘get moving’ – from a walk at lunchtime, a stretch or some simple excercises that can be
performed at your desk – to stay stress-free flexible and energised.
The 3 Steps
To ensure a healthy approach to sitting at the computer take the steps listed below.These are laid out in
more detail on the following pages.
It is highly recommended that you attend the Healthy Posture and Wellbeing course for a fuller
understanding of the benefits of taking care of your posture and body use.
Step 1 – Create a relaxed and balanced posture paying particular attention to the proper alignment of the
head, neck and back.
Step 2 – Sit well into the chair on the sitting bones and then make the necessary adjustments to the chair to
suit your individual needs.
Step 3 – Adapt the workstation to your individual requirements for maximum comfort and ease of use
without compromising good posture and your balanced sitting position.
Inside this pack you will find advice on …
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Postural considerations
Balanced sitting - some useful tips
Seating and posture for typical office tasks
Working with VDUs - some useful tips
Working with laptops—some useful tips
VDU user checklist
Keeping your eyes healthy
Upper body mobility exercises
Musculo-skeletal discomfort and pain - how to recognise it and how to prevent it
The balanced resting position – an activity to help keep your back healthy
.
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POSTURAL CONSIDERATIONS
When thinking about your posture there are 3 main areas of
consideration.
Firstly, how your head is balanced and moving on top of your spine.
Secondly, the balanced alignment of the head, neck and back and thirdly
the upright position of the pelvis.
The way your head moves on your spine is arguably the most important
consideration in maintaining good posture.
The head pivots back and forth on the atlanto-occipital joint (nodding
joint) located more or less between the ears (see Fig 1). When looking
down it is important to pivot on this joint as it helps to maintain a
lengthened spine. Any tendency to drop the head by bending at the base
of the neck will cause the spine to compress potentially leading to spinal
injury and undue strain on the internal organs eg: breathing, digestion
etc.
So, as you move your head on the nodding joint, whether to look up or
down, imagine any undue tension releasing from your neck and then
think of the head as a whole going up away from the spine. This will
encourage a lengthening spine and the alignment of the head, neck and
back; like building blocks stacked in a balanced way, one on top of the
other. This requires far less muscular effort to maintain than when the
parts are pushed and pulled out of alignment. This reduction in tension
around the neck can also greatly reduce headaches, neck, upper and
lower back pain when sitting and increase blood circulation to the brain.
Fig 1
At the other end of the spine is the pelvis - a large basin-like structure. In order to
support the spine efficiently and to maintain a lengthened and relaxed back it is essential
for the pelvis to be in an upright position. To do this you need to sit on your ‘sitting
bones’. These are located at the bottom of the pelvis (see fig 2). When you sit directly on
these bones you will automatically sit in a more upright manner.
When dealing with posture and body use we are
often dealing with long-held, familiar habits.
Whether we slump or are overly erect, what we
do feels normal. But what feels normal may not
be good for us.
So, it is often of great benefit to get practical
guidance in this area. A chance to explore new
ways of moving and sitting and experience the
benefits of a more balanced and natural
approach.
Your understanding and appreciation of what
good posture can feel like will be greatly
enhanced by your participation on the Healthy
Posture and Wellbeing course.
HIP
JOINT
HIP
JOINT
SITTING
BONES
Fig 2
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BALANCED SITTING - Some useful tips
•
Find your sitting bones on the chair and allow your weight go into the chair without collapsing the
upper body. The function of the chair is to take your weight and it is the function of the postural
musclesof the abdomen and back to support you in uprightness.
•
Keep your back long and relaxed whether supported or unsupported by the back of the chair.
•
If you want to get some additional support from the back of the chair be sure to sit well back into the
seat of the chair and ensure that the back support is low enough to support the upper part of the
pelvis. This will encourage a more upright spine.
•
Raise or lower and angle your chair so that your knees are sightly lower than your hip joints and your
feet are comfortable on the floor or a foot rest if necessary.
•
Ensure that your head is rotating freely at the nodding joint, especially when looking down.
•
Avoid poking your head forward from the base of the neck .This will send your upper body out of
alignment and it will require greater tension to remain in an upright balanced position. It will also put
undue pressure on your spine.
•
To lean forward (as in reaching across the desk), pivot through your hip joints whilst maintaining a
relaxed and long back. This minimises undue bending in the upper body and compression of the
spine.
•
Avoid crossing your legs. It places undue pressure
on the spine by twisting it, encourages slumping
and restricts the circulation of blood to the legs.
•
Avoid sitting in the same position for long periods. Your
body likes to be moved. ‘Static muscle strain’ produces
pain, stiffness and tenderness and plays a significant
role in the development of musculo-skeletal discomfort
and pain. Take regular breaks from the computer - at
least every half an hour.
•
Get into the habit of pausing to observe your actions
and your body use. Find something that you can use as
a trigger (e.g.: personalised stickers dotted around your
work area) to help you pause and bring more conscious
awareness to how you are using your body, of any
tensions that might be building up and to notice if you
are getting tired. Then apply the advice given here on
how to maintain a balanced sitting posture.
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SEATING AND POSTURE FOR TYPICAL OFICE TASKS
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10
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4
5
1.
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5.
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8.
9.
10.
Seat back adjustability
Good lumbar and pelvic support
Seat height adjustability
No excess pressure on underside of thighs and back of knees
Foot support if needed
Space for postural changes, no obstacles under desk
Forearms at right angles to the torso
Minimal extension, flexion or deviation of wrists
Screen height should allow comfortable head position
Space in front of keyboard to support arms
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WORKING WITH VDUs - Some useful tips
•
Position your desk and screen to avoid glare or bright
reflections.
•
Consider your sitting posture before attending to the layout of
the workstation. Having established a balanced, comfortable
sitting position it is essential that you do not now
compromise it. The workstation and equipment must now be
adjusted in relation to your sitting position so as to suit your
individual needs.
•
Raise or lower the desk so that your forearms are at right
angles to the torso and they make a continuous line with the
hands when using the keyboard. Wrists must not be
cocked.
•
Raise or lower the monitor so that the upper part of the
monitor casing is level with the eyes when sitting in a relaxed
and upright manner.
•
Position the monitor at arm’s length from your face. It must be able to swivel and tilt easily and freely
to suit your needs.
•
The space in front of the keyboard should be
sufficient to provide support for the hands and the
arms.
•
Keep a soft touch on the keys and do not overstretch the
fingers.
•
Keep your shoulders relaxed and open
•
Position the mouse within easy reach so
that it can be used with the wrist straight and the
forearm fully
supported by the desk .
•
Support the forearm and use the minimum of pressure on the mouse.
•
Take frequent breaks to allow the arms to rest. Maybe take a walk, do
some stretching or rest your back – (see Balanced Resting Position
p13)
•
Carry out the exercises to help relieve the build up of tension and to
keep all the upper body parts flexible. (See Upper bdy mobility
excercies, pages 11 &12)
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WORKING WITH LAPTOPS - some useful tips
General considerations. The use of laptops has been growing rapidly but not much attention has been
paid to the ergonomics of mobile computing and most products are designed with portability, and not user
safety, in mind.
The design of laptops violates a basic ergonomic requirement for a computer, namely that the keyboard and
screen are separated. With a fixed design, if the keyboard is in an optimal
position for the user, the screen is not and if the screen is optimal the
keyboard isn’t so using a laptop is a trade-off between poor neck/head
posture and poor hand/wrist posture.
This means that you have to pay special attention to how you use your
laptop because it can cause you problems.
So what can you do to protect yourself?
For the occasional user and those away from their desk - A separate risk
assessment should be conducted by your Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
assessor and/or line manager. Guidance for this is in Appendix B of the Health &
Safety DSE Policy
The Healthy Posture & Wellbeing course will provide detailed advice and
technique for a variety of ‘on the hoof’ laptop situations. It is recommended that
you attend.
Full time users - if you use your laptop at work as your main computer you should:
•
•
•
•
•
Find your balanced sitting position and appropriate desk height (as shown on pages 3 & 4)
Position the laptop on your desk in front of you so that you can see the screen without bending your
neck. Raise the laptop so that the top of the screen is at eye level by using an adjustable stand.
Use a separate keyboard and mouse. You should be able to connect a keyboard and mouse directly
to the back of the laptop or to a docking station.
Use a docking station which serves as an interface between all the components and creates
essentially a desktop computer. Simply remove the laptop from the docking station when you leave.
Reduce the weight of your laptop bag by leaving behind any peripherals that are not needed. Switch
shoulders from time to time or consider using a laptop bag with wheels.
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VDU USER CHECKLIST - refer to previous pages for advice on achieving a balanced sitting position
and creating optimum working conditions
•
Are you sitting on your sitting bones with a long, upright and relaxed back?
•
Is your head free to rotate freely at the ‘nodding joint’, especially when looking
down?
•
Are your shoulders relaxed and open?
•
When sitting are your knees slightly lower than your hip joints?
•
Are your feet supported by the floor or footrest?
•
•
•
Is the back rest on your chair low enough to support your pelvis in the
upright position?
Are your forearms at right angles to your torso when placed on the desk?
Are your hands and wrists in a continuous line with your forearms when
typing?
•
Are your eyes level with the upper casing of your VDU monitor?
•
Is the monitor at arm’s length away from your face and directly in front of you?
•
Have you got sufficient space to rest your forearms in front of your
keyboard?
•
Is your mouse arm comfortably supported by the desk?
•
Are you using the minimum of pressure on the mouse?
•
Are your eyes relaxed and focussing comfortably?
•
Are you carrying out the eye exercises to prevent them from straining?
•
Are you taking regular breaks from the computer - at least every half an hour?
•
Are you carrying out the upper body mobility exercises to keep you flexible and free from undue
tension?
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KEEPING YOUR EYES HEALTHY
Looking at a computer screen for long periods causes the
muscles around the eyes to be held with static muscle strain.
This can be stressful for the muscles of the eyes which can
cause a build up of tension leading to sore eyes and even
headaches. The prolonged close focusing involved with
computer use can produce short sight in time and have a
detrimental impact on the lens of the eye and your vision in
general. Like any muscle group, it is important to allow the
muscles of the eyes to work naturally and for the eye’s
focussing length to be exercised otherwise excessive
tension can become habitual and feel normal.
To remedy this situation it is advisable to carry out some
simple excercises which will help to keep your eyes healthy
and alive.
The Exercises
•
Palming - Resting elbows lightly on the desk, cup your palms and rest them over your gently closed
eyes; be sure not to touch the eyeball or put pressure on the side of your nose. Breath deeply and
easily, focussing on letting go of any tension in the face and particularly around the eyes. Do this for
three to five minutes. Take your palms away from your eyes but leave your eyes closed for another
twenty seconds or so. (Do not rub your eyes!) Then gently open your eyes. Do 5 quick blinks followed
by 5 big squeezes. Do this once or twice a day
•
Keeping your head still and your eyes closed, look as far down as you can, then return the eyes to the
centre. Now look as far to the right as possible and then centre, up as high as you can and centre and
then to the left and centre. Repeat ten times. This is a good all-round exercise for your eye muscles.
•
Tromboning – Focus on an object like a pen held at arm’s length. Slowly (take at least 5 seconds)
bringing it towards you until it touches your nose, focussing on it at all times. Then move the object
away from you back to arm’s length. Move in and out ten times.
•
The cross - With your eyes open, take a pen and hold it in front of you and focus on it. Then slowly
move it as far down as you can then back to centre, as far right and back to centre and then as high and
as far left. Focus on the pen on the outward movement only.
Repeat ten times.
•
Peripheral vision- Hold the pen in front of you at arm’s length.
Keeping your head still and with your eyes looking straight
ahead, move the pen to the furthest points of your vision – up,
down, left and right. Notice how far out you can see the pen. It
helps if you focus on something in front of you during this
exercise. Repeat ten times.
Please note- EEC regulations state that the employer has a responsibility to provide eye and eyesight tests
when requested and at regular intervals. Be sure to ask for them.
The exercises described above are explained and demonstrated during the Healthy Posture and Wellbeing
course. It is recommended that you attend.
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MUSCULO - SKELETAL DISCOMFORT AND PAIN
Be aware of any approaching symptoms of discomfort and pain which can be experienced in the tendons of
the upper limbs i.e. wrists, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and back. Musculo-skeletal symptoms can be
experienced as aches and pains especially after long periods of uninterrupted VDU work.These conditions
do not usually last but should they persist you should refer it to your health & safety officer or DSE assessor.
Prevention is the best form of action. Deal with any symptoms, outlined below, at the earliest
opportunity before the problem becomes severe. You must take it seriously as unchecked musculoskeletal discomfort and pain can, in some cases, lead to injury.
Stages of musculo-skeletal discomfort and pain
Stage 1 ( mild ): Pain, aching and tenderness of the wrists, shoulders or neck during work which improves
overnight. This stage is reversible.
Stage 2 ( moderate ): Recurrent pain, aching and tiredness occur earlier in the working day, persists at night
and may disturb sleep. Physical signs may be visible, such as swelling of tendon areas.This stage may last
several months.
Stage 3 ( severe ): Pain, aching, weakness and fatigue are experienced even when resting completely.
Sleep is often disturbed and the sufferer may be unable to carry out even light tasks at home or work.
Sometimes it is thought to be irreversible and full use of the affected part is never regained.
Prevention of musculo-skeletal discomfort and pain
•
Avoid prolonged periods of work in the same position.
•
Avoid extremes of joint movement in the hand, wrist,arm,neck and trunk.
•
Avoid mental stress
•
Take regular rest breaks from keyboard operation and practice stretching exercises
•
Ensure ergonomic design is appropriate for your individual needs
•
Minimise poor posture and neck and trunk twisting.
•
Take the time to become aware of how you are using your body and the tensions you are
applying as well as on the task you are performing. Only you can take responsibility for your
posture and how you are using your body.
The Healthy Posture and Wellbeing course is designed to guide you in this important sphere. Make sure you
take advantage of this course and book your place via your training coordinator.
If you have a medical condition that is aggravated during DSE work, you must tell your line manager. He or
she will arrange for the Health & Safety Advisor to carry out a detailed workstation assessment for you
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UPPER BODY MOBILITY EXERCISES
Long periods working at a computer can place an enormous strain on the muscles of the neck, shoulders,
arms and hands, particularly if the body is not well aligned and supported. Undue tension in the upper torso
is often the precursor of ULD/RSI.
As a human being you are designed for movement and it is therefore advisable to take regular breaks in
order to ‘get yourself moving’. Muscles like to be contracted and released and do not like to be held in one
position for long periods of time. If you carry out the following exercises it is more likely that you will leave
work at the end of the day feeling less tense and probably less tired.
Neck mobility
•
Move the head from one side to the other (look over R and L shoulder).
•
Tilt the head over towards the R shoulder and L shoulder.
•
Roll the head on the neck in both directions. Be sure to
keep the neck muscles relaxed and not drop the neck. Keep
your awareness of the position of your head on top of the
spine.
Shoulder mobility
•
•
Move the shoulders up and down.
Roll your shoulders in a circle backwards a few times. Repeat movement in a circle
forwards. Keep shoulders relaxed.
•
Interlock fingers and push palms of hands away in front
of you to stretch arms, shoulders and upper back.
Repeat.
11
12
Spinal Mobility
•
Standing with feet apart, knees slightly bent and hands on hip bones, tilt to one
side of the body, back to the centre and over to the other side of the body.
•
Turn the upper body around to look behind in one
direction, back to the centre and to the other side. The
pelvis should be kept facing forwards throughout.
•
Place palms of hands on lower back and gently lean
back through the upper body. Repeat.
Hands and wrists
•
Flex all the joints of the
and then shake the
each hand.
•
Make each hand into a tight fist. Bend the fist downwards.
•
Bend the fist upwards, then flick out
the fingers.
fingers, the wrists and elbows
arms out. Repeat 3 times with
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13
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