Poor Posture Caused by Poor Ergonomics
As physiotherapist's, we often treat patients with postural problems. Undoubtedly, prolonged sitting is a leading cause of postural problems in children and adults. This is particularly true if you are sitting with poor ergonomics.
Common ergonomic causes of postural defects include:
Sitting with a poor ergonomic set up often results in the shoulders slumping, or rounding, and the chin poking forwards. This position results in the upper back (thoracic spine) rounding. This increases the likelihood of a "hunch" developing, which results in a permanent rounding of the shoulders.
Further to this is the decreased muscular conditioning that results from prolonged sitting. When you sit you don't need to use any of the postural muscles responsible for maintaining our upright posture. The principle of "use it or lose it" certainly applies here. As you get a bit older, increased reliance is placed on these muscles to maintain a good healthy posture. Deconditioning of these muscles makes it harder to maintain an upright posture, increasing the likelihood of postural issues occurring.
So, what ergonomic changes can you make to help prevent postural issues?
There are two things to consider.
First, recognise that prolonged sitting is the key problem. There is nothing wrong with sitting per se - it's just the length of time that most people sit for that causes problems. Humans are not designed to sit for hours on end. As such, try to switch between sitting and standing throughout your working day if possible.
Second, when you are sitting, make sure that your workstation is set up ergonomically to help prevent your shoulders from slumping or your chin from poking forwards. The key things to focus on in this respect are:
Common ergonomic causes of postural defects include:
- Slouched or slumped shoulders
- Poking chin
- Decreased core control and muscular deconditioning
Sitting with a poor ergonomic set up often results in the shoulders slumping, or rounding, and the chin poking forwards. This position results in the upper back (thoracic spine) rounding. This increases the likelihood of a "hunch" developing, which results in a permanent rounding of the shoulders.
Further to this is the decreased muscular conditioning that results from prolonged sitting. When you sit you don't need to use any of the postural muscles responsible for maintaining our upright posture. The principle of "use it or lose it" certainly applies here. As you get a bit older, increased reliance is placed on these muscles to maintain a good healthy posture. Deconditioning of these muscles makes it harder to maintain an upright posture, increasing the likelihood of postural issues occurring.
So, what ergonomic changes can you make to help prevent postural issues?
There are two things to consider.
First, recognise that prolonged sitting is the key problem. There is nothing wrong with sitting per se - it's just the length of time that most people sit for that causes problems. Humans are not designed to sit for hours on end. As such, try to switch between sitting and standing throughout your working day if possible.
Second, when you are sitting, make sure that your workstation is set up ergonomically to help prevent your shoulders from slumping or your chin from poking forwards. The key things to focus on in this respect are:
- Computer screen high enough to help you sit back into your chair instead of leaning forwards
- Make sure the screen is close enough that you can easily read the screen
- Don't have your chair tilted forwards
- Consider a slight backwards lean on the backrest
- A footrest can help to make you sit back into the chair
