Healthy Back Tips at Work

A patient this morning asked me about some healthy back tips to do at work. That’s a great question and I thought I’d share two of my favorites with you:

Avoid prolonged sitting.

Sitting is one of the worst things we can do not only for the back but general health. Studies like the March 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine have shown that prolonged sitting actually increases your risk of dying. It wasn’t just due to the inactivity—it seems it actually affects your metabolism and body chemistry.

So, what can you do? My suggestion is to stand and go for walks at work whenever you can. And no, I won’t write you a doctor’s note for your boss. The other idea is to limit sitting when not working. If you have to sit all day at work, make sure you’re not sitting a lot when you’re not working. It’s total hours sitting per day that seems to be the risk factor. Over eight hours a day of sitting seemed to be the magic number when it dramatically affects your health.

Make sure your computer monitor is at the correct height.

For most setups, the rule of thumb is to have your monitor directly in front of you and the top of the monitor should be at eye level. If you have a huge monitor you will have to change it a little, but that’s about where height should be. Also avoid any twisting or excessive reaching for the keyboard or mouse.

Hope those help. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to give me a call/email.  

Your friend in health,

Dr. Steven T. Cass

CASS CHIROPRACTIC CENTER

952-928-8735

www.casschiro.com