I usually travel to work by car but at this very moment as I type I’m on a Tube train heading into central London. The seats here are poorly shaped (one size doesn’t fit all, I suppose), the train is jolting me side to side and I’m trying to finish this chapter half hunched over my laptop. It’s not difficult to see how modern life takes a toll on our general health. What I do know is that though I may, often unwittingly, commit various posture sins from time to time, I am becoming increasingly aware of them and can take a moment to stretch a bit and then readjust to the best possible position.

Travelling posture can be a big issue, but many of us are stuck behind an office desk for 8 hours or so each working day. If that’s you, there are a number of key factors you need to assess to ensure you’re sitting correctly at your desk and/or computer screen.

How to sit at work

• Make sure you use an upright chair that supports your lower back. If your chair is not well designed, you can always support the small of your back with a small cushion or rolled up towel
• Check that your desk height allows your wrists to rest level or a touch lower than your elbows
• Sit up straight all the time - with your shoulders comfortably back
• Make sure your knees are level with, or a touch lower than, your hips
• Avoid crossing your legs - instead ensure your feet can rest flat on the floor and point directly forward. A raised footrest can be useful if the floor’s just too far down.

For many years I actually used a kind of bar stool rather than a backed seat at work and ensured my desk was raised to the perfect height for me. Most of my colleagues thought it was a passing fad, but I kept things this way for several years and I know it helped me avoid the spine-compromising slouches of too many fellow staff.

At home I often use a wedge-shaped cushion that ensures my knees are a little lower that my hips. It certainly does me a lot of good when I’m in one of my flat-seated dining room chairs and from feedback I’ve received this little aid is very helpful for many.

Monitor

• Your computer monitor should be at least an arm’s length away to avoid strain on your eyes
• Your eyes should line up with the very top of the screen when your head is correctly positioned
• Aim to position the monitor so it reflects as little overhead lighting and sunlight as possible

Keyboard & Mouse

1. Keep your wrists straight, not bent up or down. You can buy ‘wrist rests’ to see if this help - a mouse matt with a ‘wrist rest’ build-in may improve things too, if you use the mouse a lot
2. Your elbows should remain directly under your shoulders - position the mouse matt correctly to allow this
3. Hands should rest on the keyboard a little lower than you elbows
4. As much as possible, to avoid awkward stretching or twisting, keep frequently used objects within easy reach. This would include your telephone, pen holder, stapler, etc.

In addition to these, learning to touch type will do wonders for your posture - avoiding the need to look down most of the time as you type. Seriously consider also getting a phone headset if you spend a lot of time on the phone.

Take a break and move a bit

Even with the best possible posture, if your job is computer-based, you must make sure you take regular breaks away from your desk. A sensible guide is to have at least five to ten minutes’ break for every hour at your keyboard. Just get up and move around. Take time to get a drink of water and/or visit other colleagues for discussions about work (standing correctly when you do, of course). Even whilst at your desk take regular opportunities to look away from your screen and focus on something in the distance for a few seconds to rest your eyes.

Gentle exercise can help to relax your muscles, reduce eye strain and clear your mind - your body will thank you for giving it a little time and concern.

Back pain has always been a problem for people yet it has become more prevalent in recent times due to an increased sedentary lifestyle and in particular as a result of spending more time, both at work and at leisure, sitting in front of a computer screen adopting an incorrect sitting posture. There are common causes of back pain and the key is how to simply, yet effectively cure them.

First of all, it is important to understand that back pain is not a specific medical condition in itself. It is one of the consequences of many short and long term medical conditions. Some conditions are found at birth whilst others emerge as a result of lifestyle or undertaking physical activity.

A major factor contributing to the creation of back pain is how in fact the spine moves, or more accurately, how the spine is allowed to move in an incorrect manner. This occurs through the adoption of poor habits over an extended period of time including incorrect posture or sitting positions, which are then difficult to break free from or where the movement of the spine is directly influenced by older age. As the body becomes older, the discs located between the vertebrae of the spine start to wither and break down. Obviously the result is a reduction in body flexibility.

There are other conditions that create back pain which have the capability of appearing very quickly and without warning such as muscle spasms, sprains and fractures and can be the cause of short term or longer lasting chronic pain. The body is susceptible to sprains and spasms when inappropriate techniques are used for lifting objects or where too much pressure is placed on the frame and muscles when undertaking physical tasks. This, unfortunately, will result in small tears appearing in ligaments that are essential in the support of the body’s spine.

In addition, do not forget that the role of stress can be a major factor in determining how severe the pain is and how long it lasts. Stress can affect the body both physically and mentally with the result being for instance, that back muscles can become tensed up, and thus create the potential for pain and discomfort.

So what measures can be undertaken to achieve back pain relief? Some of the most effective remedies are self administered ones and importantly, natural rather than the sufferer heading for the medicine cabinet to gain the benefit of a short term fix. The results derived from undertaking stretching exercises amazes those suffering from back pain as with a few simple techniques, not just the pain itself is eased, but often also the cause that created the pain in the first place. With such exercises being self administered and natural, they are of course hard to beat, not like back pain if your know exactly what to do.