Improving your posture while working from home
Injuries to the lower back are a major economic and social issue for Canadians and industrial productivity. About 80% of people are impacted by low-back pain at some point in their life, causing disruptions to one’s social and work life [1]. Among people with back pain, 64% have missed at least one day of work in the last year due to injury or illness [2]. At any one time, 540 million people around the world are suffering from back pain [3].
Many people’s lifestyles make it difficult to avoid sitting, and some resort to exercising before or after work to ‘balance out’ their time spent sitting. According to a 2012 study, Adults that sit for prolonged periods can compromise their metabolic health - even when they meet the physical activity guidelines. TV time, sitting time, and time spent sitting in cars increase one’s risk of premature mortality [4]. What might be a solution for this? The research shows that breaking up sitting times into shorter segments can be beneficial in counteracting negative health risks.
How long should I be sitting?
For many years now, sitting for long periods of time has been shown to have adverse health effects, including back pain, weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease [4]. But how long is too long?
People often think of sedentary behaviour as the total time spent sitting each day. Recent studies have suggested that sedentary patterns, such as sitting for longer periods versus breaking it up into shorter stretches, can determine health risks. The most ideal sit-stand ratio is 1:3, a much shorter sit time than previously thought, according to Dr. Jack Callaghan, a University of Waterloo professor [5]. Several studies suggest splitting sit and stand time in half, standing for 30 minutes then sitting for 30 minutes; a much more realistic timeframe for some people [6].
It’s all about finding the right balance. According to a study by Dr. Callaghan, 50% of participants developed lower back pain after standing at an ergonomic desk for 2 hours straight [7]. Reducing sitting time, and rotating often between sitting and standing has been shown to result in reduced discomfort, increased work productivity, and positive health outcomes [8]. Once the back pain has started it’s hard to get rid of it, so moving early and often is the best way to avoid negative health effects from occurring down the road.
Tips to help reduce sitting time:
Monitor your current sitting habits. Try to keep track of how often and how long you are sitting in a day - it might add up to more than you thought! Once you have recorded your sit time per day, record how much time you need to cut back.
Set phone reminders to stand. This can be very helpful to combine this with a water reminder, to ensure you stay hydrated and stretch your legs and back at the same time. Frequent short breaks are better than fewer long ones.
Stand when you usually sit. When watching TV, folding laundry, or on a meeting video call, try standing instead.
Add activity where you would normally take the ‘easy road’. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, bike or walk to the store, or park at the back of the parking lot if you do need to drive. The little things do add up.
Top 8 Posture Mistakes
Sitting for long periods or having certain muscle imbalances can lead to many different types of bad posture. Over time, this can lead to weakness and back pain. Look out for these common posture mistakes that people often make:
Slouching in a chair. This is a position that many people fall into when your body is tired. Although it doesn’t usually cause discomfort, the muscles and tissues in your back are actually being strained. Slouching for long periods can lead to prolonged back pain [9].
Standing with a flat back. Having a flat back means that the inward curve in your lower back is no longer existent, and your pelvis is tilted inward. This posture is often caused by muscle imbalances or sitting for prolonged periods, making it difficult to stand for long periods of time [9].
Sticking out your bottom (butt). If your butt tends to stick out further than usual while standing, you might have hyperlordosis. This means that the inward curve in your lower back is exaggerated. Wearing high heels, pregnancy, and excessive weight around the stomach can all lead to a "Donald Duck" type of posture [9].
Leaning on one leg. This is when you shift your weight onto one leg while standing up. It often happens after you’ve been standing for long periods of time, and might feel comfortable at first. Standing like this puts extra stress on your lower back and the hip you’re leaning on, instead of using your core and buttocks muscle groups to stand [9].
Hunched shoulders. This position is often used while texting or typing on a computer that is placed too low. Using this posture long-term can lead to a hunched back, as well as shoulder and neck stiffness [9].
Cradling the phone. This posture is used while talking on the phone, and holding it between your head and shoulder. The body is not able to hold this position for prolonged periods, and it leads to neck strain [9].
Poking your chin out. This happens when a slumped back is combined with looking up at a computer screen. It can be remedied by tucking in your chin, bringing your shoulder blades down and back, and activating your core to sit up straight [9].
What tools can be used to maintain good sitting posture?
Lumbar support. Use a cushion, towel, or chair with lumbar support to make sure that the curve in your lower spine is supported.
Adjustable chair. Use a chair that can be raised or lowered so that your feet are flat on the floor, and your forearms and wrists are parallel with the floor while typing.
Proper monitor height. Place your screen at eye level, to avoid strain on your neck from tilting it up or down.
Get a headset for talking on the phone. Repeatedly cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder can strain the muscles in your neck.
References
“Jack Callaghan”. Canada Research Chairs. Government of Canada, 2019. [accessed June 2, 2020] (electronic) Available at: https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/chairholders-titulaires/profile-eng.aspx?profileId=2967
Chronic Back Pain. Georgetown Health Policy Institute, n.d. [accessed June 3, 2020] (electronic) Available at: https://hpi.georgetown.edu/backpain/#:%7E:text=Back%20pain%20is%20a%20leading%20cause%20of%20work%2Dloss%20days&text=Among%20adults%20who%20are%20working,due%20to%20illness%20or%20injury.
Low back pain affects 540 million people worldwide, but too many patients receive the wrong care. The Lancet, 2018. [accessed June 2, 2020]. (electronic) Available from: https://www.oulu.fi/sites/default/files/news/TheLancet_LowBackPain.pdf
Owen, N., Healy, G.N., Matthews, C.E. and Dunstan, D.W. Too much sitting: the population-health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 2010. 38(3), p.105. [accessed June 2, 2020]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404815/
How long should you stand - rather than sit - at your work station? University of Waterloo, 2018. [accessed June 2, 2020]. (electronic) Available from: https://uwaterloo.ca/kinesiology/how-long-should-you-stand-rather-sit-your-work-station#:~:text=Sitting%20behind%20your%20desk%20all,hour%20to%20get%20health%20benefits
Chai, C. Sitting all day at work? Get up every 30 minutes to cut your risk of death. Global News, 2017. [accessed June 3, 2020]. (electronic) Available from: https://globalnews.ca/news/3740438/sitting-all-day-at-work-get-up-every-30-minutes-to-cut-your-risk-of-death/
Gallagher, K.M. and Callaghan, J.P.. Early static standing is associated with prolonged standing induced low back pain. Human movement science, 2015. 44, pp.111-121. [accessed June 5, 2020] Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167945715300282
Callaghan, J.P., De Carvalho, D., Gallagher, K., Karakolis, T. and Nelson-Wong, E. Is standing the solution to sedentary office work?. Ergonomics in Design, 2015. 23(3), pp.20-24. [accessed June 3, 2020] Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1064804615585412
Common Posture Mistakes and Fixes. NHS, 2019. [accessed June 2, 2020] (online) Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/common-posture-mistakes-and-fixes/
