Do You Have a Sedentary Job?

Technological advancements have increased the amount of jobs conducted in a sedentary or sitting position. Sedentary jobs have advantages. But, according to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety website, sedentary jobs may bring on back pain, stiff necks and varicose veins along with muscle pains and numbness in the legs. Good body mechanics are key factors in preventing and correcting these effects.

Good body mechanics or proper posture is important in doing all our daily activities such as; lifting, running and climbing stairs as well as standing, sitting and lying down. My. Cleveland Clinic website states, good posture naturally aligns the body in positions that places the least strain on the supporting muscles and ligaments as we do our daily activities.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA is responsible to develop and enforce workplace safety standards and offer compliance assistance training and education. The standards are based on recommendations from its research arm, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. OSHA recommends the following guidelines for sedentary workers at computer stations. Three sitting positions are recommended:

Sitting Positions

Upright Sitting Posture

The worker's torso and neck are approximately vertical and in-line, the thighs are approximately horizontal and the lower legs are vertical.

Reclined Sitting Posture

The worker's torso and neck are straight and recline between 105 and 120 degrees from the thighs.

Declined Sitting Posture

The worker's thighs are inclined with the buttocks higher than the knee and the angle between the thighs and the torso is greater than 90 degrees. The torso is vertical or slightly reclined and the legs are vertical.

Additional OSHA Standards For Sitting.

These include:

The hands, wrist and forearms should be straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor.

The head should be level, or bent slightly forward and facing forward and balanced. It is generally in line with the torso.

The shoulders should be relaxed with the upper arms hanging normally at the side of the body.

The elbows should be in close to the body bent between 90 and 120 degrees.

The feet should be fully supported by the floor or a foot rest may be used if the desk height is not adjustable.

Support the back fully with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back slightly.

The thighs and hips are supported by a well padded seat and generally parallel to the floor.

The knees should be bent about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward.

Proper sitting posture also depends on the design of the chair. The Canadian Center for Occupational Safety and Health web-site, states, it's practical to provide a fully adjustable chair that accommodates the maximum range of people. The chair must have adjustment controls for seat height and tilt and backrests height and angle. It should match the task and be operable from a sitting position.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/positions.html

OSHA.gov: Good Working Positions

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/Back_health/hic_Posture_for_a_Healthy_Back.aspx

My.Cleveland Clinic.org: What is Good Posture?

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/sitting/sitting_overview.html

Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety.ca: Working in a Sitting Position