If you sit in an office chair all day, there are things you can do to create a more ergonomic environment for yourself. Consumer Reports recommends that you use an ergonomic chair for best results.
Sitting for long periods of time can be uncomfortable, if not downright painful.
Sitting is the new smoking. For decades, we were told that cigarettes were bad for our health. As it turns out, so was sitting at a desk all day long. Sitting for too long can lead to obesity, heart disease and even cancer. In fact, studies have shown that people who sit for more than six hours a day are 2x as likely to die from any cause as those who sit less than three hours each day! Studies also show that spending too much time in front of screens (television, computer) can increase your risk of suffering from back pain or eye strain because it encourages you to spend too much time looking down and not enough time moving around or shaking things off. Researchers say this is especially true if they’re watching TV while eating dinner—which means they don’t even realize how many calories they’re taking in!
There’s no doubt about it: If you want to live a healthy life then sitting needs its place on your watch list right next to drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco products—and maybe even higher up than watching too much TV every evening before bedtime.”
Sit on your sitting bones, not on the back of your pelvis.
- Sit on your sitting bones, not on the back of your pelvis.
- You should be able to feel the shape of your sitting bones under you if you’re sitting correctly—they’ll probably feel like little knobs sticking out from the front of each hipbone. If you can’t tell where they are, chances are good that your chair is too deep or narrow for you and may not offer ample support for healthy posture; consider trying a different chair before making any other changes.
Pay attention to where you’re resting your weight.
Don’t rest your weight on the back of your pelvis. When you’re sitting, you should focus on keeping your sitting bones (the bony parts of the buttocks) in contact with the seat. This way, all of your body weight is supported by a sturdy base. If you slouch or lean forward into an unsupported state, then some of the burden will transfer to other areas—like a muscle that’s connected to your spine and helps support it when properly aligned. But if you’re slumping forward and resting too much weight on this muscle group, it can become strained and overworked. So if you notice yourself leaning forward or feeling more tired than usual after prolonged periods of sitting down at work, perhaps it’s time for something different!
Keep both feet flat on the floor, or use a footrest.
You might be thinking, “Wait, what? I thought this whole article was about how to have your feet up?” And you’re right—it is. But there’s a time and place for everything!
If you’re going to have your feet up in a chair, then make sure they are both planted firmly on the floor. You can also use a footrest if needed; just make sure that it’s properly attached to the chair so it doesn’t slide around while you’re working at your desk.
Keep knees at or slightly below level of your hips.
You should be sitting with your knees at or slightly below the level of your hips. This way, you’ll put less pressure on your lower back and more on your thighs and calves. If you’re doing it right, when you sit down in a chair for the first time, it should feel like a gentle hug.
If you’re not sure if your knees are at the right height, place a piece of paper between them and measure roughly how tall it is (or use an app like “Measure It!”). If that piece of paper is higher than or even with where it would be if they were resting on top of something flat, like some carpeting or grass—either move closer to whatever surface they’re now resting against or adjust how high up in front of them these surfaces are.*
Make sure each arm is supported.
There are many ways to support your arms while sitting in the office. If you have an armrest, rest them there. If you don’t have an armrest, use a pillow or a rolled up towel. If you don’t have an armrest and can’t find one anywhere else in the room, just rest them on your thighs instead.
Give your arms freedom to move and place keyboard within easy reach.
A good chair height is one where your arms are relaxed and hanging loosely by your sides. Your keyboard and mouse should be placed on a desk at eye level and within easy reach, giving you freedom of movement for typing. Your wrists should be straight when using the keyboard, as it can cause RSI if bent for extended periods of time. If you feel like you’re straining to reach the keys or mouse, try moving them closer together until you find a comfortable position that doesn’t hurt your back or shoulders.
If pain persists despite these measures, consider investing in a wrist rest to help support the weight of your hands while they rest on the desk surface – this can take away some pressure from sensitive areas such as tendons or nerves around muscles which pass through forearm bones (carpal tunnel syndrome).
Consumer Reports recommends that you use an ergonomic chair for best results.
The chair you choose should be comfortable, supportive and fit your body type. Consumer Reports recommends that you use an ergonomic chair for best results.
The best chairs are the ones that fit your body and your needs, but also one that doesn’t make you feel like a slouch by forcing you to sit up straight all day. To find out which chair is right for you, try them out in person and take note of how much support they offer at each part of your lower back—this is where most people get sore from sitting too long on a regular office chair.
Some people prefer firmer seats because they have more support than softer ones, while others find these surfaces uncomfortable over time because they don’t provide any cushioning between the body and the seat itself (which may cause numbness). If this describes how it feels when sitting at work every day then it might be worth investing in something more cushioned!
If you sit in an office chair all day, there are things you can do to create a more ergonomic environment for yourself.
If you work in an office, there’s a good chance that you spend at least half of your day sitting in one spot. If that sounds like a nightmare to you, it should. It can be uncomfortable and painful—and bad posture can cause back problems, neck problems and more.
These days, many offices are equipped with ergonomic chairs that help alleviate some of the discomfort associated with sitting for long periods of time. These chairs have adjustable height settings as well as lumbar support and arm rests designed to reduce pressure points on sensitive areas such as your thighs or lower back. You’ll also find them available in different colors and styles so they’ll fit into any work environment or personal style aesthetic!
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember, though, is that if you’re going to sit in an office chair all day, there are things you can do to create a more ergonomic environment for yourself. That means finding a chair that’s right for your body type and size (and even your height), as well as making sure that the way it’s positioned makes sense for how much time you spend sitting down each day. And don’t forget about posture! Make sure your shoulders are relaxed and back straight so that they don’t slump forward onto their chest or slouch behind their ears—this can cause pain from muscle strain over time. We hope these tips have helped make your next trip to the furniture store even better than before; happy shopping!
