Many of us have sat in one position for an extended period of time and had to deal with small joint aches, needles and pins feelings in our extremities, stiff necks and other slight problems. Imagine what sitting in that position can do to your body, after 40 years of working the same job, holding your head in the same position and stretching in uncomfortable ways.



Having your body held in uncomfortable and unnatural positions for an extended amount of time can take away from your work also. It can cause fatigue, stress and a shorten attention span, due to constant moving and rearranging of your body. Being uncomfortable at home or in the office can cause you to be increasingly irritable, also. When you begin to have problems, you do not notice it as much, because the pains are only occasional or not at all.

Often, when you start to notice them more, the damage has been done. You can receive permanent problems from being in uncomfortable work positions. You can start to have problems such as carpal tunnel, spine injury, nerve damage, tendonitis or tears to your muscles. With some of these problems, they are only alleviated from having intense surgery or even multiple surgeries.

There are steps that can be taken to stop this from happening to your body. Buying ergonomically correct chairs are a great way to start. Be sure that when you choose one, you pick one that is adjustable in height. Your feet are to be planted flat and firmly on the floor in front of you, your knees are to be at a 90 degree angle from your hips and ankles.

Your work area should be sitting just above your lap, so that you are not stretching or holding your arms and hands at a strange angle, causing the tendonitis. Keep pressure off of your wrists, where there is a pressure point located and cause numbing of the hands over time. Keep items that you will be looking at within a short distance of your head. This will keep you from stretching or straining to see the items.

If you spend a large quantity of time on the phone or on calls for an extended period of time, buy a hands free headset. This will keep you from tilting your head and resting the phone between your ear and your shoulder, cutting down on neck pain, strain and possible nerve damage. If you spend a considerable amount of time starring at the computer screen, ensure that it is in line with your eyes and you are not tilting your head up or down to see what you are looking at.

Glare from the screen can be a problem for your eyes. You can buy a filter that fits gently over the screen and shields you from glare, causing less eye strain. Being healthy and safe about your body will ensure that you are able to continue to live the life that you have wanted to live for a very long time.