We all see our places of employment as pleasant and perfectly safe and healthy. There are certain office dangers or hazards of the kind that are commonplace on construction sites or in factories, and many office workers enjoy the benefits of rigid working days, rather than having their body clocks thrown by changing shift patterns. That is why it is important to improve your fitness at work.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), around 21,638,470 people are employed in jobs defined as office and administrative support. However, this figure does not include other occupations, such as management, business, and financial operations, or computer occupations that are also likely based in office environments.
Consider the following to complete your 9-5 with both body and mind intact, and to maintain peak fitness.
Sitting for long periods of time every day is bad for your health. Researchers have demonstrated that prolonged sitting time is associated with poor health outcomes regardless of the amount of physical activity performed.
If you are sitting or typing in an unhealthy way, it is likely you will be putting a strain on your body for most of the day. Unsurprisingly, back pain is one of the most common reasons for employees to miss work and the second most common reason for visits to the doctor.
Some Number of Posture Mistakes
- Slouching – this places a lot of pressure on your lower back, damaging ligaments, joints and soft tissue and can lead to hunching
- Sitting cross-legged – this tucks in your hip, making it difficult to sit up straight leading to slouching. It can also lead to muscle imbalances in the hips that cause pain and stiffness
- Hunching forward – can lead to a tight chest and weak upper back, potentially leading to the development of a rounded upper back that is susceptible to pain and stiffness
- Poking the chin forward – sometimes a symptom of a hunched back or sitting too low, and can lead to muscle weakness at the neck
- Phone cradling – you may hold your phone between your ear and shoulder to leave your hands free. This can weaken your neck muscles and lead to imbalances that cause headaches.
Eat Healthy and Move Around to Improve Your Fitness at Work
The office environment is often full of temptation when it comes to eating healthily. A desire for unhealthy food is increased if you haven’t eaten properly in the morning or obtained enough sleep.
- Bring a healthy lunch and snacks to work (which will also save you money!).
- Eating is a great opportunity for workers to escape from their workstations, but few take advantage of it. About 62% of Americans eat lunch at their desks. Eating at your desk can also lead to a build-up of bacteria if the correct hygiene precautions are not taken.
- Leaving the desk for a break allows you to regroup and collect yourself, decreasing stress.
How to Improve Your Fitness at Work
- Travel to work by walking or biking. Get off public transport a stop earlier than normal or park your car further from the office
- Stand instead of sitting when able. Find as many excuses to get out of your chair
- Spend time during breaks to go for brisk walks or stretch to keep your muscles loose
On the surface, working in an office appears to be a simple form of employment. While that may be true in comparison, it’s important that you do not get complacent and sit idly as your health runs away from you. Call us at 877-704-1761 or fill this form to schedule a complimentary consultation for help in assessing your overall health at one of our convenient locations in
or visit Optimum Health Rehab. Pain Management, Chiropractic