"Ouch. My back hurts. Or is my shoulder. Well, it's sort of both, but in my neck. ... Ow
I'll be right back. Should I take an aspirin.
I hope this helps aspirin. It 'was yesterday, but I do not want to have to live aspirin. My appointment is Monday morning ... I'm at least five hours of computer work tonight. Ooooh. My back hurts. Do you think this chair is? "
Does this sound too familiar? If you leave the office every daywith a crick in the neck, pinch back, numb fingers, or all three? The hours (and hours), many of us spend at the computer, every aspect of our body and well-being. Eyes, muscles, nerves, joints, alignment and function of the brain are taxed at the maximum, as we have sedentary day lift chairs glued poorly equipped to protect us from greater harm. And what harm, sometimes irreparable, is on the way, if you do not notice the signs.
ThatSpazzed-out back / shoulder / neck is the result of a spinal column is not supported is not in alignment, when exposed to hours of sitting in a chair poorly designed and built. If stress is added to the lack of consistency and long-term recovery is to add, we are looking for a recipe for disaster: pinched nerves, discs, muscle spasms, and carpal tunnel syndrome are just the beginning.
It is currently in the field of ergonomics for us, with some brilliant contributionsprevention. However, it should be noted that the science of Ergonomics is not new. One could argue that a common pot holder is an ergonomic design, as it allows the human to perform the task of removing a pie from the oven without dropping it, or burning the hands. A hammer with a weighted head and a comfortable, padded handle takes stress off the wrist. Also, ergonomic. Going back to the cave days, the rock that was carefully hollowed to allow the spine to curve into it was ergonomically conscious, as well.
My sister suffered agony from a recurring pinched nerve and stiff neck.
Spending endless workaholic hours at the computer taught her what her body would not, could not, tolerate.
Wake up call.
She did some research and learned that this is a very common syndrome of our times, affecting millions of people. After some investigation, she opted for relief and a return to the living: It's called "The Aeron Chair", from Herman Miller. This amazing chair is the miraculous marriage of ergonomic science and beautiful design. It looks like the coziest sports shoe ever, and sitting in it feels like body-suspension. It has a special back support and engineered angles to align the body for blissful comfort and correct posture during marathon work hours. Once I sat in it I couldn't believe I was making do with my old desk chair.
A colleague of mine has taken a leave of absence to undergo two surgeries to correct pinched nerves. I'm not sure what caused hers, but her departure was, for me, Wake up Call Number Two.
My new ergonomic desk chair will arrive in ten days, along with a "Swopper", an ergonomic stool which allows the user to access continuous motion while working at a table or drawing board. Perfect.
They say prevention is worth a pound of cure.
No more agony, no more exclamations of pain, no more "My back hurts". Don't suffer needlessly. Don't subject your body to potential permanent damage when all that's required is that you get out of your chair every 50 minutes, walk around the office, do some inconspicuous stretching exercises, and invest in a decent ergonomically designed chair.
-Karen S
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